DUSHANBE, April 29, 2011, Asia-Plus -- Fuel shortages and increasing gasoline prices that may result from possible suspension by Russia of gasoline exports may seriously affect Tajikistan’s agrarian sector, Narzullo Dadaboyev, a spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), told Asia-Plus today.

According to him, fuel shortages will negatively impact harvests in the country.  “The sowing campaign was carried out in the country in good time, but acute fuel shortages may seriously affect land treatment that will tell on productivity and quality of agricultural crops, including cotton,” the spokesman said, noting that land treatment will start in late May or early June.

If cultivation and fertilization of soil is not done properly, the level of crop yield will decline that will lead to increase in prices agricultural goods in the country, he added.

Dadaboyev, however, believes that the government and relevant bodies will find solution to the fuel shortage problem before the beginning of land treatment.