DUSHANBE, August 9, Asia-Plus - Tajikistan has exported more than 50,000 of vegetable and fruit products over the past three months, Deputy Agriculture Minister, Sadoqat Sanginova said.   

According to estimates of specialists from the Ministry of Agriculture, compared to 2005 this year’s vegetable and fruit harvests in Tajikistan have increased by 5 percent.   In 2005, Tajikistan produced 715,000 tons of vegetables, 550,000 tons of potatoes, 148,200 tons of fruits and 90,300 tons of grapes. 

Last year, Tajikistan exported 40,960 tons of fruits and vegetables and 44,339 tons of dried fruits.  Ms. Sanginova has noted that Tajikistan is capable to supply totaling 170,000 tons of fruits and vegetables to Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan this year.  Besides, 90 percent of tinned fruits and vegetables produced in Tajikistan are also exported to these countries, according to her.   

Meanwhile, Jura Azizov, the head of the fruits and vegetables department of the Ministry of Agriculture, has told Asia-Plus that Tajikistan has failed sp far to export the planned 70,000-80,000 tons of potatoes this year for shortage of them in the republic itself.   “We hope to reach this figure by the end of the year,” Mr. Azizov said.  

According to information from Tajik Railways, Russia has reduced has reduced discounts for transportation of fruit and vegetable products supplied to the Russia Federation: by 50-percent for products transported in refrigerator van and by 25 percent for products transported in goods trucks.  The Russian authorities have made such a decision following shortage of fruits and vegetables this year that has resulted in increase of prices of fruits and vegetables.   

It is expected that that as a result of reduction in rail shipment rates fruit and vegetable supplies to Russia may at least double this year that will lead to a 15 percent reduction in their prices.