Value Chains research report Tajikistan final - Microfinance Centre

• Not efficient technologies for processing tomato. The current outdated
processing facilities do not allow being competitive in world market and
requesting the change the technologies and equipment.
• Food safety and traceability. This is a key area of concern from export
development point of view, since in Tajikistan it is not considered as issue. Poor
food-hygiene practices are prevalent at the production stages, resulting in
variable raw material quality. Additionally, there was very little record keeping or
traceability generally. But with support of some project in Tajikistan start
introduction the ISO standards and Global Gap systems. This situation must be
addressed in the current food business environment for product to be sold
effectively and within current food safety guidelines.
• The expansion of processing plants could help to get market opportunity for outgrowers.
Even with the problems described above several entrepreneurs have opened new,
modern plants and are focusing on the sale of high quality products. They key
opportunities of their activities that they need to develop different model of supply chain,
a start to work with farmers from input supply and increase the efficiency of tomato
production in term of volume and quality.
Tomato and Tomato Products Exports
Tajikistan is exporting fresh and canned tomato product mainly to Russia and
Kazakhstan. The fresh tomato export are happening from Tajikistan during the pick
season, and the average price for export price not exceed USD 0,36 per kg. Usually
such export happens during July-August period. But the export volumes decrease each
year, since the price for fresh tomato with quality applicable for export increasing inside
of country and to farmers and trader more profitable to work in internal market.
Table 20: Fresh tomato exports from Tajikistan.
Units 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Total from Tajikistan tons 647 1282 369 112 170
Include to Russia tons 617 1276 369 103 169
Total from Tajikistan 000’USD 121 257 104 41 42
Include to Russia 000’USD 133 258 104 44 42
Source: State Statistic Agency of Tajikistan
In most cases the exporters of tomato subsectors are canning enterprises or
exporters who sell canned products outside the country. The main importing countries
are Russia and Kazakhstan. Ninety percent (at times reaching 100%) of all tomato
canned exports are from Sughd Region. Canneries sell and export products by
themselves or through intermediaries. Most exporting of tomato products is done by the
canning factory without the aid of exporters.
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