Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT47
2009-01-13 12:51:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN'S GRAIN PRODUCTION: THE GOVERNMENT
how-toVZCZCXRO5587 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #0047/01 0131251 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 131251Z JAN 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2111 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 4670 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 2473 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 2338 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 2918 RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHRC/USDA WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000047
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
ANKARA FOR AGRICULTURE COUNSELOR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN'S GRAIN PRODUCTION: THE GOVERNMENT
STILL MAKES FARMERS TO GROW GRAIN BY COMMMAND METHODS
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000047
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
ANKARA FOR AGRICULTURE COUNSELOR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN'S GRAIN PRODUCTION: THE GOVERNMENT
STILL MAKES FARMERS TO GROW GRAIN BY COMMMAND METHODS
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public
Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: In 2008 Turkmenistan produced 920,000
tons of grain. This is much lower than the amount
required for domestic consumption. In order to improve
grain and also cotton production, President
Berdimuhamedov announced in early 2007 his intention to
reform state agriculture. According to Berdimuhamedov,
the key to the success of the reform was releasing
farmers from official interference. However, the
government continues central command management in
agriculture by setting timeframes for planting and
harvesting start-ups and other farming activities. This
practice discourages farmers and has a negative impact on
the harvest. END SUMMARY.
GRAIN FIGURES ANNOUNCED IN DECEMBER
3. (SBU) President Berdimuhamedov announced at the
December 15 Cabinet meeting that Turkmen farmers had
harvested around one million metric tons of grain. This
figure is for the so-called bin weight, which experts
believe to be seven or eight percent higher than the
actual weight of the commodity following cleaning and
dehydration. If this is taken into account, the actual
figure for the 2008 grain harvest is 920,000 tons. It
appears that this is also the maximum that Turkmenistan
can currently produce, based on the total area of 900,000
hectares used to grow wheat and the average yield of 1.2
tons of wheat per hectare. It is much lower than the
amount required for domestic consumption, which Minister
of Agriculture Esenmurat Orazgeldiyev estimated as
1,600,000 tons.
CHANGE IN AGRICULTURE POLICY FROM EARLY 2007 -- IN NAME
ONLY
4. (SBU) In order to improve grain and cotton
production, President Berdimuhamedov announced in early
2007 his intention to reform state agriculture, adding
that the most important provision for the success of the
reform is "to make a farmer the real owner of the land
and free him from numerous instructions and
supervisions." According to an independent source, some
Turkmen farmers had complained that official interference
and ineptitude impaired agricultural productivity, which
may have influenced Berdimuhamedov's decision to change
agriculture policy. A farmer in Dashoguz told the source
he wanted to till the land in early November -- when
weather conditions made the job easier -- but he was told
to stop his work because the order to begin had not been
received from Ashgabat. The Ministry did not send the
order to begin work until mid-December, at which time
harsh weather conditions made it "impossible to get
anything done."
MANY CITIZENS STILL DEPEND ON SUBSIDIZED BREAD
5. (SBU) Residents of provincial towns, which cannot
afford to buy expensive commercially-supplied bread and
depend on state-supplied or so-called "social bread",
often experience shortages due to an insufficient supply
of subsidized bread. (NOTE: The price of this subsidized
bread is 1,000 manat or 7 cents per loaf. Commercially-
supplied bread costs 5,000 manat or 35 cents per loaf at
the current exchange rate. END NOTE.) Because of short
supply, state bread stores will sell each customer a
maximum of two loaves of "social bread" -- and only if
that person is registered as a local resident. According
ASHGABAT 00000047 002 OF 002
to Pol/Econ Section contacts in Lebap and Mary provinces,
people have to stand in long lines from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.,
if they are to have any hope of buying rations of "social
bread".
6. (SBU) COMMENT: Despite President Berdimuhamedov's
promise to stop official interference in the farming
sector, provincial officials maintain the practice and
the policy of central command management in all sectors
of the national economy, including agriculture,
continues. In this case, as is common, the official
statements of reform lag far behind continued practice,
because it is difficult for officials to give up control.
END COMMENT.
MILES
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
ANKARA FOR AGRICULTURE COUNSELOR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN'S GRAIN PRODUCTION: THE GOVERNMENT
STILL MAKES FARMERS TO GROW GRAIN BY COMMMAND METHODS
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public
Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: In 2008 Turkmenistan produced 920,000
tons of grain. This is much lower than the amount
required for domestic consumption. In order to improve
grain and also cotton production, President
Berdimuhamedov announced in early 2007 his intention to
reform state agriculture. According to Berdimuhamedov,
the key to the success of the reform was releasing
farmers from official interference. However, the
government continues central command management in
agriculture by setting timeframes for planting and
harvesting start-ups and other farming activities. This
practice discourages farmers and has a negative impact on
the harvest. END SUMMARY.
GRAIN FIGURES ANNOUNCED IN DECEMBER
3. (SBU) President Berdimuhamedov announced at the
December 15 Cabinet meeting that Turkmen farmers had
harvested around one million metric tons of grain. This
figure is for the so-called bin weight, which experts
believe to be seven or eight percent higher than the
actual weight of the commodity following cleaning and
dehydration. If this is taken into account, the actual
figure for the 2008 grain harvest is 920,000 tons. It
appears that this is also the maximum that Turkmenistan
can currently produce, based on the total area of 900,000
hectares used to grow wheat and the average yield of 1.2
tons of wheat per hectare. It is much lower than the
amount required for domestic consumption, which Minister
of Agriculture Esenmurat Orazgeldiyev estimated as
1,600,000 tons.
CHANGE IN AGRICULTURE POLICY FROM EARLY 2007 -- IN NAME
ONLY
4. (SBU) In order to improve grain and cotton
production, President Berdimuhamedov announced in early
2007 his intention to reform state agriculture, adding
that the most important provision for the success of the
reform is "to make a farmer the real owner of the land
and free him from numerous instructions and
supervisions." According to an independent source, some
Turkmen farmers had complained that official interference
and ineptitude impaired agricultural productivity, which
may have influenced Berdimuhamedov's decision to change
agriculture policy. A farmer in Dashoguz told the source
he wanted to till the land in early November -- when
weather conditions made the job easier -- but he was told
to stop his work because the order to begin had not been
received from Ashgabat. The Ministry did not send the
order to begin work until mid-December, at which time
harsh weather conditions made it "impossible to get
anything done."
MANY CITIZENS STILL DEPEND ON SUBSIDIZED BREAD
5. (SBU) Residents of provincial towns, which cannot
afford to buy expensive commercially-supplied bread and
depend on state-supplied or so-called "social bread",
often experience shortages due to an insufficient supply
of subsidized bread. (NOTE: The price of this subsidized
bread is 1,000 manat or 7 cents per loaf. Commercially-
supplied bread costs 5,000 manat or 35 cents per loaf at
the current exchange rate. END NOTE.) Because of short
supply, state bread stores will sell each customer a
maximum of two loaves of "social bread" -- and only if
that person is registered as a local resident. According
ASHGABAT 00000047 002 OF 002
to Pol/Econ Section contacts in Lebap and Mary provinces,
people have to stand in long lines from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.,
if they are to have any hope of buying rations of "social
bread".
6. (SBU) COMMENT: Despite President Berdimuhamedov's
promise to stop official interference in the farming
sector, provincial officials maintain the practice and
the policy of central command management in all sectors
of the national economy, including agriculture,
continues. In this case, as is common, the official
statements of reform lag far behind continued practice,
because it is difficult for officials to give up control.
END COMMENT.
MILES