Value Chains research report Tajikistan final - Microfinance Centre

Large butchers control the price of beef and are the central figures in the value chain.
These value chain players locate livestock in remote areas, slaughter and sell the meat
through retail outlets. Retail butchers and meat merchants are more likely to invest in
the beef industry as their portion of the value chain does not require investment in
raising livestock. The second level is the intermediaries and speculators, and the third
levels are farmers. As the rule, intermediaries are very experienced and know the
market conditions accurately.
Seasonal sales of livestock
The price of the meat rises after the beef price rises in the market, usually
because of a lack of slaughter animals. In the price analysis for meat, it can be seen
that usually the meat price fluctuates most in July.
The largest cattle sales occur in the spring, autumn and winter. Also, a large
number of cattle are bought and slaughtered during the religious holiday of “Idi Qurbon.”
Cattle butchers, traders and those who buy cattle for fattening are permanent customers
from spring to winter. In the late autumn and winter the population independently
prepares the meat for the winter.
Meat production in Tajikistan.
Beef meat production has grown in recent years in Tajikistan but is still lower than
production in first year after the collapse of the USSR, when, with a twice smaller
population, production reached more than 40900 tonnes. As shown in table 45 meat
production has risen to over 25100 tonnes in 2007 and 2008, up from 30300 tons in
2009.
Table 45. Production of slaughtered beef meat in Tajikistan, 2007-2009
Indicator 1992 2007 2008 2009
Number slaughtered, heads 356600 143000 142000 173200
Beef Meat produced, tons 40900 25200 25100 30300
Source: FAO stat
The production of meat not cover the need of internal consumption and Tajikistan
purchase frozen meat of buffalo from other countries.
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