Value Chains research report Tajikistan final - Microfinance Centre

Wire and comb foundation are sourced in the domestic market, as well as imported
from Kyrgyzstan. Currently the beekeepers’ associations have equipment for producing
comb foundation.
Aluminum cans are in short supply, they are sold by pieces. Beekeepers need metal
wire and plastic containers for honey. The container must be made of food-grade materials
and have strong handles. Currently beekeepers buy certified barrels in the market.
Beekeepers also need fumigators, brushes, face nets, knives and many other
accessories.
Medications and veterinary medicines. There is a stable demand for such
medicines as bipin, flucin and oxalic acid. Pest control is used at various times, depending
on the disease and location. The price of chemicals for treatment varies substantially
depending on the place it is purchased at. Medications are also imported from Uzbekistan,
while originating in Russia.
Honey packaging process.
Packaging is one of the biggest weaknesses for the honey industry in Tajikistan. Currently
the honey is packaged in aluminum cans, 35-40 kg each. These cans have extremely long
history and are not suitable for long-term storage, due to oxidation. In the Soviet times these
cans were produced at Tashkent Aviation Factory, and now they are imported by private
entrepreneurs from Russia. They are not very convenient, but they have no alternative
available. The supply is short and for most part the cans have been used for over 20 years.
Another type of packaging is to pour honey into cardboard boxes lined with PET film. When
honey is stored in a cool room, it is crystallized and remembers the shape of the box. Then
it is sold in bricks in the local market. This type of packaging is used primarily for cotton
honey. Far and large, all cotton producers and beekeepers sell their product in the local
market in plastic or glass containers – jars ranging from 0.2 to 3 liter capacity (see Picture
3). Often honey is sold in glass jars not specifically intended for this product. These are
glass jars used for canned vegetables, often with original labels still attached. In some
European countries (primarily Germany, Czech Republic and Turkey), special food-grade
plastic buckers with twisted tops with the capacity of 25 kg are used for both domestic and
export market. These containers are beginning to arrive to Tajikistan, and the demand for
these is unmatched by supply.
Industrial packaging in modern and specialized containers for honey is not present in
Tajikistan. The main obstacles for expanding production are financial problems and high
cost of beekeeping accessories (boxes, carts, frames, etc.). Besides, the cost of collecting
honey and maintaining bee yards have increased lately. It could be helpful to get loans for
this purpose in lending organizations.
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