DUSHANBE, April 18, Asia-Plus -- Over the first three months of the year, an average inflation rate in Tajikistan has made 2.2 percent, while in January-February 2006 it was 3.2 percent, the State Committee for Statistics said.  

Over the report period, prices of foods products in the country have risen by 1.8 percent, non-foodstuffs have risen by 0.2 percent and paid services rendered to the population by 8 percent.  

The cost of the set of food products included in the consumer basket for actual consumption (based on figures from households studied during 2006) in prices as of the end of March 2007 was 53.37 somonis (equivalent to $15.52) per one family member per month, and with the norm for a balanced diet it was 113.63 somonis ($33.04).

Experts from the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MoEDT) expect the inflation rate to be 7 percent in 2007.  Last year, inflation in Tajikistan made 12.5 percent.