DUSHANBE, July 21, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, Jamshed Yusufiyon, the principal deputy head of the National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT), revealed on July 21 that over the first six months of this year, the Tajik national currency, the somoni, has fallen 6.02 percent against the dollar.

According to him, external factors led to the somoni’s weakening against the dollar.  “Changes in the international prices of oil and grain have caused the situation,” said Yusufiyon, “The somoni exchange rate has become stable as inflation pressure has lowered.”

To manipulate the price of the national currency and to make it stable central bank has sold 15.2 million U.S. dollars of the report period, Yusufiyon noted.