DUSHANBE, October 3, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Domestic flour mills are currently releasing flour produced from Kazakh wheat to vendors at 158.00 somoni (equivalent to some US$33.00) for a 50-kilogram sack of flour, which is 58 somoni (equivalent to some US$12.00) more than in June.

Director of the state unitary enterprise Ghalla, Taghoymurod Sharipov, says current wholesale price for one ton of Kazakh wheat at the Sary-Agash railway station (Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan border) is US$363.00 against US$272.00 reported in August.  “When the wheat arrives in Tajikistan, the price of one ton rises to US$488.00 due to transport expenses and customs duties,” Sharipov noted.

Parviz Rouziyev, director of Somon-Turon Invest, the company engaged in supplying wheat and flour to Tajikistan, says Kazakh farmers are expected to produce only 13 million tons of wheat this year.  Last year, Kazakh grain growers produced 27 million tons of wheat.

“Kazakhstan now provides the bulk of Tajikistan’s grain imports,” said Rouziyev.  “Judging by grain auctions at Kazakhstan’s exchange, wheat will continue to rise in price.”

Meanwhile, an official source at the Antimonopoly Agency under the Government of Tajikistan says their specialists are currently inspecting local markets for flour speculation.  “The problem is that none of suppliers and producers of wheat and flour in Tajikistan is on the register of dominant entities (market entities having dominant position),” the source said.

According to the data from the antimonopoly agency, 53 companies dealing with supplying wheat and flour to Tajikistan now accounts for 50.1 percent of the grain supplying market while the remaining 49.9 percent are private entrepreneurs.  “We do not have the right to demand any data from them for coordinating their prices with the antimonopoly agency,” the source added.

Under the country’s legislation, the company accounting to 30 percent of market is put on the register of dominant entities.  Before introducing new fees, such companies must coordinate them with the antimonopoly commission.

According to the statistical data from the Customs Service under the Government of Tajikistan, 470,000 tons of wheat have been delivered to Tajikistan over the first eight months of this year, which is 249,800 tons more than in the same period last year.  Besides, 232,200 tons of wheat four have been delivered to the country over the same eight-month period, which 33,700 tons more than in January-August last year.

Current average price for a 50-kilogram sack of flour in Dushanbe is now 175.00 somoni, Khujand -- 160.00 somoni, and Qurghon Teppa – 170.00 somoni.

Tajikistan’s annual requirements in wheat are 1.5 million tons.  Tajikistan itself can meet only 20 percent of its annual requirements in wheat while the remainder is delivered from Kazakhstan (95 percent) and Russia (5 percent).