DUSHANBE, February 14, Asia-Plus  -- According to the National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT), inflation for January stood at 1 percent.

The source at Tajik central bank said that the government intends to hold inflation rate at 8 percent by the end of this year.    

However, known Tajik economist Hojimuhammad Umarov doubts that the government will be able to curb inflation rate this year.

“Unfavorable macroeconomic policy of Tajikistan and low rate of domestic production are key factors that contribute to increase in the inflation rate in the country,” said the expert, “Tajikistan should increase the volume of production of goods.  The inflation rate will be curbed only in the case if some 50 percent of consumer goods are produced in Tajikistan itself.”  

According to him, even if the government takes specific measures to regulate prices on consumer market and strengthens antimonopoly policy, inflation will stand at 12-15 percent but not 8 percent by the end of the year.  He noted that lending encouragement would also allow curing inflation in the country.  

We will recall that last year, despite government’s efforts to hold inflation rate at 7 percent inflation stood at 19.7 percent by the end of 2007.