DUSHANBE, September 20, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- The price for a 50-kilogram sack of Kazakh grade I wheat flour has risen 10 percent at Dushanbe’s bazaars in recent days – from 150 to 165 somoni.

Vendors said the price hike has resulted from the rising cost of wheat flour in Kazakhstan, which provides the bulk of Tajikistan’s grain and flour imports.

Officials at the ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MoEDT) says the cost of grains and wheat flour began to rise in Kazakhstan in late July that “led to increase in flour prices in Tajikistan”.

Before the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan (July 20), the flour prices were stable in Tajikistan and the price for a 50-kilograms sack of Kazakh wheat flour fluctuated from 110 to 130 somoni, depending on the region.  By the end of the holy month of Ramadan (August 19), the flour price has risen at Dushanbe’s bazaars to 145 somoni.

Meanwhile, according to the data of the Agency for Statistics under the President of Tajikistan, more than 19,700 tons of wheat flour for the total amount of more than 6.5 million U.S. dollars were imported into the country in July and more than 22,000 to flour for the total amount of some 7.5 million U.S. dollars were imported into Tajikistan in August.  In other words, the price of one ton of flour increased from some US$330 in July to US$340 in August.