Value Chains research report Tajikistan final - Microfinance Centre

In general, the wide price fluctuations give support for greenhouse production
during the off season. The price for tomatoes during the season is much lower than offseason,
the difference in prices historically reaching up to 2000% in some years. Table
18 above (see VCA tomato), as well as Diagram 2 “Tomato Semi-Wholesale Prices in
Tajikistan Regions in Somoni, 2008-2010”, show that tomato prices are at their highest
from December to May. The price for greenhouse tomatoes during the last few years
shows that the business could be profitable and attractive enough to justify money from
the banks and MFIs, even with existing interest rates. The price during the previous
season was over 2 dollars per 1 kg. This price level allows meeting the demands of the
domestic market, which until recently has been supplied with Uzbek produce. Of course,
given the current development of local production, it is still early to talk about complete
substitution of imported tomatoes, but there is a certain positive development in this
area. Indoor production of tomatoes off-season is a developing industry, and it is
attractive for the farmers to invest in construction of greenhouses and switch to this
crop. Price indicators show the need to use greenhouses for growing tomatoes in the
winter and spring period and high profitability of this activity. However, the demand for
such produce is limited by the demand of the domestic market.
Specific quality standards for fresh tomatoes
The main quality indicator of fresh tomatoes is that the product must be able to
be stored for a long period and should have acceptable appearance. For example the
tomatoes in supermarkets should be solid giving the impression of freshness.
Tomatoes are divided into three categories: Extra Class, 1st Class and 2nd
Class. The Extra Class Tomatoes contain the highest quality standards and capture the
highest price. According to answers obtained in focus groups, tomatoes of First Class
are priced 10-30% more than those of Second Class. The difference of tomato prices of
Second Class and Extra Class is of 20%.
Harvesting and cooling
An important stage in ensuring high quality of the product is harvesting the crop, sorting
and cooling. World practice shows that all efficient greenhouses are equipped with
cooling stations, which allow storing tomatoes for up to ten days, thus regulating the
volumes reaching the market, and export necessary amounts of produce at specific
intervals, meeting the demands of the market. As a result of Uzbek entrepreneurs
lacking cooling systems, much of their product was lost in the Russian market, where it
was delivered without sorting and partially overripe. We need to keep this experience in
mind when developing our production.
Export opportunities
Central Asia has some natural advantages in the greenhouse production of
tomatoes in the simple fact that its latitude is more southern create a window of
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