DUSHANBE, June 13, Asia-Plus  -- “Last year, Tajikistan exported only 150,000 tons of canned fruit and vegetables to the CIS states, which is lower than our potentials,” Ruslan Abdurahmonov, the director general of the Tajik state fruit and vegetable company, Tajikplodovoshchprom, remarked at an international seminar on turnover of perishable goods that was held in Dushanbe on June 10-12.  

The seminar formally titled “Use of Exchange Mechanisms for Optimization of Turnover of Perishable Vegetable-and-Fruit Products and Potatoes on EAEC Member Nations’ Markets” brought together specialists from member nations of the Eurasian Economic Community (EAEC), including Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, to discuss issues related to expansion of cooperation in providing domestic markets with far produce.  

According to the Tajikplodovoshchprom head, in the Soviet time, Tajikistan had been on of the main suppliers of farm produce.  He named numerous procedures, especially customs clearance process, excessive inspections, and train stops main factors that impede increase in Tajik fruit-and-vegetable exports.  

“The EAEC countries ought to seriously discuss this issue and seek solution this problem as it is of importance both for producer countries and consumer countries,” said Abdurahmonov.  “If the problem is tackled, producer countries will have good market and consumer countries will have a broad range of goods at acceptable prices.”