DUSHANBE, December 19, 2015, Asia-Plus — This year’s cereal production in Tajikistan has reportedly decreased by 5 percent as compared to the 2013 level, according to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MEDT).
Over the first eleven months of this year, Tajikistan has reportedly produced 1.2854 million tons of cereals, which is 5.2 percent fewer than in the same period last year.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), this year cereals have been planted on 309,738 hectares, which is 27,500 hectares fewer than last year. The wheat sown area this year was 214,881 ha.
This year, Tajik farmers have reportedly yielded more than 621,800 tons of wheat, which is 23,200 tons fewer than in 2013. This year’s average wheat yields were estimated at 2.95 tons per hectare, which is 40 kilograms fewer than last year.
Tajikistan has imported 604,900 tons of wheat this year. Wheat imports in the 2014/15 marketing year are forecast to increase slightly.
Tajikistan still depends heavily on cereal imports, mainly wheat, which accounts for almost 98 percent of total cereal import requirements. Wheat imports in the 2014/15 marketing year (July/June) are reportedly forecast at 1.06 million tons, 4 percent above last year’s near-average level. Wheat and barley are mainly imported from Kazakhstan.
Current average price for a 50-kilogram sack of wheat flour at Dushanbe’s bazaars is 153.00 somoni.
Meanwhile, in its monthly estimates, published on November 6, 204, the FAO increased its forecast for global wheat production in 2014/15 by 4.1 Mt to 722.6 Mt.
