DUSHANBE, October 27, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- The latest food price hike in Tajikistan has resulted from the turmoil in grain markets and increasing international oil prices, Minister of economic Development and Trade Farrukh Hamraliyev told reporters in Dushanbe on October 27.

“We have government reserves of fuels, grains, wheat flour, sugar and vegetable oil and they are brought to market from time to time in order to curb prices of basic food products at a certain level,” said Hamraliyev, “Besides, we support domestic producers who help curb excessive price rises through selling their products in the domestic market.”

Besides, the global financial crisis and its effects have forced a number of countries to refrain from purchasing Tajik product that had previously been imported, the minister noted.  “At present local products are sold mainly in the domestic market,” he said.

We will recall that 8.3 percent increase in prices of products of food industry was reported in January-September this year and non-foodstuffs have risen in cost by 4.2 percent over the report period.  Prices and rates for services rendered to the population have increased by 5.3 percent over the same nine-month period.  Inflation for January-September this year stood at 6.7 percent.

Specialists from the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MEDT) expect the year-end inflation to stand at 8-9 percent.