Both state-run and privately-owned stores of Ashgabat are currently selling cigarettes at the same price. Correspondents of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan” report that cigarettes are now being sold per piece and at a higher price.
In state-run stores one cigarette costs 7 manats (a pack is sold at 140 manats) whereas in privately-owned store cigarettes are sold at 7 to 7,5 manats.
A price hike for cigarettes in state-run retail outlets from 30-33 manats to 140 manats per pack has been explained by sources of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan” by attempts to maintain prices for meat at approximately 24 manats per kilo to avoid discontent of residents.
In August 2020 the Ashgabat authorities obliged executives of organizations and companies of all forms of ownership to purchase meat from farmers at a market price (55 to 60 manats per kilo) to hand it over to state-run stores, where they are resold at 24 manats.
Organizations are no longer capable of subsidizing meat prices and therefore, the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations will cover the difference at the expense of high prices for cigarettes.
Let us recall that in late August 2020 Ashgabat experienced a shortage of meat. Following this, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov admonished Minister of Agriculture and Environment Magtymguly Bairamdurdyev for poor fodder production.
After that the authorities of Ashgabat obliged executives of companies to purchase meat from private farmers at market prices and hand it over to state-run stores to be further resold at government-established prices.