DUSHANBE, July 21, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Tajikistan has exported 44,600 tons of dried fruits in January-June this year, which is 5 percent fewer than in the same period last year, Deputy Agriculture Minister, Sijouddin Isroilov, told reporters in Dushanbe on July 20.

Isroilov attributed decrease in the dried fruit exports to Russia’s ban on the import of dried fruit and nuts from Tajikistan in connection with a polio outbreak in Tajikistan.  “Until the end of the year, the dried fruit exports will be increased,” the deputy minister noted.

We will recall that Moscow imposed the ban on the import of dried fruit from Tajikistan in early May in response to an outbreak of polio in Tajikistan.  On June 17, Russia’s chief consumer protection body said that the situation in Tajikistan gives no reason for concern and rescinded the ban on the import of dried fruits from Tajikistan

Isroilov noted that Tajikistan has exported more than 76,000 tons of onions and 82,800 of vegetables to the neighboring countries over the same six-month period.  “We export farm produce mainly to Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and some other countries,” he said.

The deputy minister added that over the report period, all categories of farms have produced 352,600 tons of grains, 183,800 tons of vegetables, 75,600 tons of melon crops, 128,700 tons of potatoes, more than 48,000 tons of meat, 264,200 tons of milk and 103 million eggs.