DUSHANBE, April 4, Asia-Plus  -- Tajikistan will find itself in the 4th place globally in terms of flour imports, Sovecon reported, referring to the International Grain Council (IGC).   

Updated prognosis for world flour trade in 2007/2008 increased by 0.9 million tons to 10.6 million tons in the grain equivalent, which is 9 percent more than last season’s indices, Sovecon said.  Increase in flour trade rising wheat prices that stimulates demand of a number of countries for flour.    

Brazil, which has increased flour imports from 600,000 tons to 1 million tons because of problems with supply of Argentinean wheat, may become world’s largest flour importer.  Uzbekistan, last season’s largest wheat importer, may stand in the second place, Libya, which is expected to increase flour imports by 300,000 tons, will retain the third place, and Tajikistan and Indonesia will share the fourth and the fifth places.   

Kazakhstan will remain world’s largest flour exporter, followed by the European Union, and Argentine will be in the third place globally in flour exports.  

In the meantime, according to the State Unitary Enterprise Ghalla, state grain supply company, Tajikistan has imported 45,915 tons of wheat and 119,037 tons of wheat flour over the first three months of this year.  The main supplier of grain and flour to Tajikistan over the report period has been Kazakhstan, which accounted for 96 percent of Tajikistan’s grain and flour imports in January-March 2008.