Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT1234
2008-09-16 12:11:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: IMPORTED FOOD PRICES DOWN
how-toVZCZCXRO3822 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #1234 2601211 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 161211Z SEP 08 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1562 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 4307 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 2119 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1984 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 2555 RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC PRIORITY RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2895
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001234
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
ANKARA FOR AGRICULTURAL ATTACH
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV EAGR ECON ETRD TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: IMPORTED FOOD PRICES DOWN
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001234
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
ANKARA FOR AGRICULTURAL ATTACH
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV EAGR ECON ETRD TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: IMPORTED FOOD PRICES DOWN
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Embassy's recent survey of food costs in
Ashgabat confirms that imported food prices have gone down about 19%
since a new customs law went into effect in August. Conversely,
prices of locally produced staples and other goods have steadily
increased in recent months. END SUMMARY.
3. (SBU) An EMBASSY LES who conducts regular checks of the cost of
basic food items in Ashgabat grocery stores and markets surveyed
prices during the week of September 8-12. In the survey, she noted
that the price of imported sugar, sunflower oil, flour and butter
had decreased by 25, 20, 19 and 8 percent, respectively. The
shopkeepers she spoke with all said that the decreases are a direct
result of new customs regulations, which removed customs fees and
quantity restrictions on the importation of all types of meat,
vegetable oil (excluding cotton seed oil),grain, butter, eggs, and
sugar. (NOTE: According to the new regulations, put into effect on
August 1st, importers of these food items now pay only a customs
formality charge equal to 0.2 percent of the cost of goods. END
NOTE.)
4. (SBU) In contrast, prices for locally produced food items have
remained steadily high, according to our survey, and some had
increased significantly - i.e. the price of eggs had increased by
50% and local rice by 25% - due to both increased production costs
and shortage of local produce caused by the recent drought.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: Consumers have reportedly welcomed the decreased
cost of imports and hope that the new customs regulation will
encourage more food imports and eventually bring about lower food
prices on the local market. Our local staff, however, are
pessimistic about the long-term benefits of the policy and believe
that it ultimately will benefit only food traders closely connected
to the government. END COMMENT.
CURRAN
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN
ANKARA FOR AGRICULTURAL ATTACH
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV EAGR ECON ETRD TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: IMPORTED FOOD PRICES DOWN
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Embassy's recent survey of food costs in
Ashgabat confirms that imported food prices have gone down about 19%
since a new customs law went into effect in August. Conversely,
prices of locally produced staples and other goods have steadily
increased in recent months. END SUMMARY.
3. (SBU) An EMBASSY LES who conducts regular checks of the cost of
basic food items in Ashgabat grocery stores and markets surveyed
prices during the week of September 8-12. In the survey, she noted
that the price of imported sugar, sunflower oil, flour and butter
had decreased by 25, 20, 19 and 8 percent, respectively. The
shopkeepers she spoke with all said that the decreases are a direct
result of new customs regulations, which removed customs fees and
quantity restrictions on the importation of all types of meat,
vegetable oil (excluding cotton seed oil),grain, butter, eggs, and
sugar. (NOTE: According to the new regulations, put into effect on
August 1st, importers of these food items now pay only a customs
formality charge equal to 0.2 percent of the cost of goods. END
NOTE.)
4. (SBU) In contrast, prices for locally produced food items have
remained steadily high, according to our survey, and some had
increased significantly - i.e. the price of eggs had increased by
50% and local rice by 25% - due to both increased production costs
and shortage of local produce caused by the recent drought.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: Consumers have reportedly welcomed the decreased
cost of imports and hope that the new customs regulation will
encourage more food imports and eventually bring about lower food
prices on the local market. Our local staff, however, are
pessimistic about the long-term benefits of the policy and believe
that it ultimately will benefit only food traders closely connected
to the government. END COMMENT.
CURRAN