The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU)’ decision to put ban on exporting some basic food products will have a tangible impact on Tajikistan’s food security as the EAEU nationals provide the bulk of Tajikistan’s food imports.
One of the serious problems will be the provision of the population with cereals, millet, buckwheat and wheat because all these products are delivered to Tajikistan from the EAEU member nations, mostly Russia and Kazakhstan.
It is to be noted that Tajikistan’s flour imports have decreased in recent year. At the same time, Tajikistan’s wheat imports have increased in recent years.
However, the situation has changed this year. Over the first two months of this year, Tajikistan has imported more than 14,600 tons of wheat flour, which was 25.6 percent more than in the same period last year.
Meanwhile, the country’s wheat imports over the same two-month period have amounted to 95,000 tons, a 52.1 percent reduction compared to the same period last year.
Kazakhstan provides Tajikistan’s wheat and flour imports.
In 2019, Tajikistan reportedly imported about 1 million tons of wheat and 56,000 tons of wheat flour.
Russian political scientist Dmitry Verkhoturov says the situation in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan markets was difficult even before coronavirus. There was a rise in prices of products, which indicates a deficit.
EAEU’s decision to introduce a temporary ban on exporting wholemeal flour, cereals, millet, buckwheat, rice and some other essential food staples just makes the situation worse and will lead to the rise in prices for these products.
The Agency for State Materials Reserves under the Government of Tajikistan says a two-year stock of food products for 9.5 million residents of Tajikistan is stored in its warehouses.
Besides, Tajikistan can provide itself with onions, garlic, turnips, rice and sunflower seeds.
According to the statistical data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Tajik farmers this year have planted onions on more than 21,000 hectares.
Last year, Tajikistan reportedly exported more than 100,000 tons of onions.
As far as rice is concerned, Tajikistan produces about 150,000 tons rice per year. However, Tajikistan is forced to import rice from other countries. Tajikistan imports rice mostly from Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. But Tajikistan could also import rice from other countries, including India, Pakistan, China and Vietnam.
Recall, The Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) Board decided on March 31 to introduce a temporary ban on exporting a number of essential food staples, including flour, cereals, millet, buckwheat, rice and some others.
This measure has reportedly been taken so that EAEU member nations could provide their population with those essential food staples in the case of aggravation of the situation with coronavirus (COVID-19). Export of these food products is banned until June 30, 2020.
Current members of the Eurasian Economic Union are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia.
Besides, Kazakhstan has decided to impose limits on the amount of wheat it allows to be exported so as to ensure there are sufficient grain stocks to tide it over during a period of coronavirus-related emergency.
