April 21, 2008

Tajikistan seeks new wheat supply
 

Tajikistan, which needs to import 900,000 metric tons of wheat this year, is looking for new suppliers after its main suppler Kazakhstan suspended exports, the government press service announced on Friday (April 18, 2008).

Kazakhstan normally supplies up to 98 percent of grain imported by Tajikistan, but Kazakhstan's government has suspended grain exports until September 1 in order to prevent inflation of food prices.

Tajikistan's government is now considering importing wheat from Canada and Australia through Pakistan and Afghanistan.

In 2007 Tajikistan harvested 927,500 tonnes of wheat. Its annual requirement is 1.5 million to 1.6 million tonnes, and it also imports wheat to maintain state reserves.