Correspondents of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan” report that since 22 March, 2021 prices for fruit and vegetables in privately-owned stores have considerably gone down.
For example, the price for potatoes in Ashgabat’s markets have halved from 14 to 18 manats per kilo to 7,5 manats.A kilo of apples, tangerines or kiwi, which recently cost 40 to 45 manats, is now available at 20 manats.
Prices for cucumbers have gone down from 20 to 11 manats whereas the price for tomatoes has dropped down from 15 to 10 manats.
Vendors explain the price reduction by the fact that the import of groceries via the border crossing point of Bajigaran has been resumed.
In February 2020 the Turkmen authorities closed border checkpoints at the Turkmen-Iranian border because of the outbreak of coronavirus in Iran. Following this, prices for fruit and vegetables, imported primarily from Iran, skyrocketed.
Residents welcomed these changes but vendors who had purchased large batches of fruit and vegetables from locals at high prices incurred losses. For instance, potatoes, the price for which dropped down to 7,5 manats, had been purchased at 12 to 14 manats per kilo to be resold at 14 to 18 manats.
Vendors were not aware that the border checkpoint Bajigaran had resumed its operations.
At the same time, prices for dairy products remain high at both privately-owned and state-run stores.For example, 500 ml of fresh milk costs 10 manats.
Local cottage cheese and feta cheese are still not available.The post Prices for vegetables and fruit in Ashgabat markets halve following the opening of borders with Iran first appeared on Chronicles of Turkmenistan.