DUSHANBE, August 6, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Over the seven six months of this year, all categories of farms in Tajikistan have produced some 70,000 tons of potatoes, which is nearly 14,000 tons more than in the same period of 2011, an official source at the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) told Asia-Plus Monday afternoon.

Compared to January-July of 2011, the index of the volume of production of potatoes amounted to 120 percent, the source said, noting that potato yields over the report period has stood at 18.5 tons per hectare.

According  to him, more than 20,000 hectares have been allotted to potato cultivation this year, which is 563 hectares more than 2011.  “To-date, farmers have produced potatoes from only 3,600 hectares,” the source added.

Specialists from a MoA expect Tajik farmers to produce more than 460,000 tons of potatoes this year.

Meanwhile, Dushanbe’s bazaards are reportedly experiencing an acute shortage of potatoes.  Local experts consider that the potato shortages are being created Dushanbe’s bazaars artificially, because merchants running their shops at Dushanbe’s bazaars do not want to sell potatoes at fixed prices set by the Dushanbe mayor’s office.

We will that under the decision made by the Dushanbe mayor’s office on July 10 merchants are recommended to sell potatoes during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan at the rate of not higher that 2.00 somoni per kilogram.