DUSHANBE, October 18, 2011, Asia-Plus – Today, Tajik farmers may plant whatever they want and they are free to sell their harvest to whomever they want.
Tajik Deputy Prime Minister in charge of agriculture, Murodali Alimardon, remarked this at the Second International Agribusiness Investment Forum in Dushanbe on October 18.
According to him, the Tajik authorities jointly with international donor organizations are continuing reforms in the agrarian sector.
“We aim at making farmer to become the full owner of land and have the right to mortgage it, transmit it or sell it under specified market conditions to the government,” Alimardon noted.
He added that there were unsettled questions related to insurance of land, organization of financial and technical leasing as well as new financing mechanisms. “All these issues will be resolved in the near future,” Tajik official assured.
On the investment in the agrarian sector, Alimardon said Tajikistan had adopted many laws aimed at improving the investment climate and encouraging investment. “Today, our main task to attract as much as possible investments for establishment of enterprises for processing cotton fiber, vegetables and fruits as well as development of livestock sector and poultry,” he noted.
Organized by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Tajik Agricultural Finance Framework Phase II (TAFF II) project, financed by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, with the support of the EU Delegation in Tajikistan, the two-day forum is concluding tomorrow. The event is conducted in partnership with the State Committee for Investments and State-owned Property Management of Tajikistan and with the support of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) TAFBEP program.
This year”s Forum entitled “Connecting to Compete” reportedly brought together more than 200 participants, including companies and Forum speakers from France, the UK, Spain, Switzerland, Greece, Afghanistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Algeria, Germany, Azerbaijan, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan and Russia to discuss issues related to presenting investment opportunities in Tajikistan and connecting better the country with key foreign stakeholders in agribusiness to boost its competitiveness.
As in 2010, the Forum is combining general presentations on the evolution and prospects of Tajik agribusiness with workshops on specific topics and sub-sectors, and field visits. In addition, an exhibition of the products and services of the participants, whether Tajik or foreign, is being organized at the Forum venue.
