DUSHANBE, November 14, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Tajikistan has seen inconsiderable currency devaluation this week.  The U.S. dollar (USD) exchange rate against the Tajik national currency, the somoni (TJS), rose from 1:4.83 on November 8 to 1:4.88 on November 13.

Specialists from the National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT) say currency devaluation has a seasonal character.

According to them, the somoni’s weakening against the dollar has resulted from decrease in volumes of remittances.  “At the same time, demand for the dollar rises in connection with intensification of foreign economic operations and import of commodities that also has a seasonal character,” the NBT specialists noted.

This year, the exchange rate of foreign currencies has been more stable than last year.  Since the beginning of the year, the USD exchange rate against TJS has risen only two points.

According to data of Tajik central bank, the highest USD exchange rate is now reported in Khujand, the capital of the northern Sughd province – 1:4.88, and the lowest USD exchange rate is now reported in Khorog, the capital of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) – 1:4.82.  In Dushanbe, the USD exchange rate yesterday was 1:4.87.

Specialists from the Ministry of Finance (MoF) expect the USD exchange rate against TJS to rise to 1:5.00 in 2013.