DUSHANBE, October 17, 2012, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan has reportedly doubled wheat imports from Kazakhstan.
“Over the first nine months of this year, Tajikistan has imported 515,000 tons of wheat for a total amount of 180.3 million U.S. dollars, which is twice as much as compared to the same period last year,” director of the state unitary enterprise Ghalla, Taghoymurod Sharipov, told Asia-Plus in an interview.
Over the report period, Tajikistan has imported 251,000 tons of wheat flour from Kazakhstan, which is 20 percent more than in January-September last year.
“It is more profitable to import wheat than flour,” said Sharipov. “The price of one ton of wheat is 350.00 U.S. dollars while one ton of wheat flour costs 400.00 U.S. dollars.”
As far as the flour prices are concerned, Sharipov said the price for a 50-kilogram sack of wheat flow can rise to 180.00 somoni in the coming months.
Flour prices have been rising steadily in Tajikistan since summer. According to data from the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MoEDT), the price for a 50-kiloram sack of imported grade I wheat flour rose at Dushanbe’s bazaars from 105.00 somoni in June to 140.00 somoni in August.
“Flour will continue to rise in price in Tajikistan because wheat and flour prices are increasing in Kazakhstan and Russia that provide the bulk of Tajikistan’s grain imports,” Sharipov said.
He, however, further added that Tajikistan would not face flour shortages. “Enough wheat will be carried to Tajikistan,” Sharipov stressed.
Besides, the Agency on Procurement under the Government of Tajikistan will purchase a large consignment of wheat from Kazakhstan, Sharipov said. “Today, state wheat reserves amount to some 30,000 tons,” he noted.
According to the data from the antimonopoly agency, 53 companies dealing with supplying wheat and flour to Tajikistan now accounts for 50.1 percent of the grain supplying market while the remaining 49.9 percent are private entrepreneurs. The antimonopoly agency does not have the right to demand any data from those companies for coordinating their prices, because under the country’s legislation, only the company accounting to 30 percent of market is put on the register of dominant entities. Before introducing new fees, such companies must coordinate them with the antimonopoly commission.
Current average price for a 50-kilogram sack of flour in Dushanbe is now 175.00 somoni, Khujand — 160.00 somoni, and Qurghon Teppa – 170.00 somoni.
Meanwhile, a grain harvesting campaign is going on in Tajikistan. To-date, Tajik farmers have reportedly produced some 900,000 tons of grains, including 772,000 tons of wheat.
Tajikistan’s annual requirements in wheat are 1.5 million tons. Tajikistan itself can meet only 20 percent of its annual requirements in wheat while the remainder is delivered from Kazakhstan (95 percent) and Russia (5 percent).
