“Chronicles of Turkmenistan” continue to monitor price fluctuations in grocery markets of Ashgabat.
Over the past three months of 2020 prices for vegetables have gone up as expected because of seasonal fluctuations. There has been a price increase of 173%. Overall, in 2020 prices for vegetables doubled.
In the fourth quarter of 2020 prices for fruit slightly dropped by 3% but overall their average price soared by 144%.
It should be emphasized that only market prices for fruit have been taken into account because fruit have not been sold in state-run stores over the past three months.
Fruit sold at state prices appeared in Ashgabat markets only in early December, 2020, which led to long queues.For instance, according to a rough estimate, 400 to 500 people joined the queue by 10 a.m.
in Tashauz bazaar located in the 10th residential district whereas there were up to 300 customers in other markets.Fruit sets, including tangerines, pears, oranges, kiwi and apples, worth 50 manats, were sold to customers.
The state price for a kilo of fruit was about 5to 6 manats.
Over the past three months the price for canned goods has gone up by 4,5% whereas in 2020 the price increase was recorded at 21,5%.
Prices for rice, cereals and pasta remained quite stable in the fourth quarter of 2020 but throughout the year prices soared by almost 56%.
Over the past three months the price for cheese has gone up by 21% whereas throughout 2020 prices increased by 90%.
Over the past three months the price for flour has gone up by 10%. In 2020 the price hike was 40%. Flour at 8 manats a kilo was not supplied to state-run stores in the last quarter of 2020.
Over the past three months the price for oil has gone up by 14% on average whereas in 2020 it increased by 29%.In state-run store oil is sold at 13 manats per liter but customers are obliged to buy it in a set with a kilo of rice.
This “set” costs 25 manats.
Over the past three months prices for dairy products have increased by 11%. Overall, in 2020 there was a price hike of 70,4%.
Over the past three months prices for meat have gone up by 12% whereas throughout 2020 prices increased by 42,5%.
Chicken drumsticks are sold in the majority of Ashgabat markets early in the morning.The queues are long and stores run out of produce in two hours.
A limit of 3 to 5 kilos per customer applies and customer are obliged to buy a kilo of rice in a set. Meat is sold at 24 manats a kilo in state-run shops.
Over the past three month the price for coffee has climbed by 4%. In the course of 2020 the price hike was recorded at 44,7%.
Over the past three months prices for soft drinks and juices have dropped by 10,7%. In 2020, however, the price increased by 16,6% on average.
Over the past three months prices for alcoholic beverages have decreased by 4,4% on average, whereas in the course of 2020 prices for alcohol increased by 6,6% on average.
The price for eggs in privately-owned stores went up from 1,2 manats to 1,4 manats (an increase of +16,67%).In state-run store eggs cost 0,45 manats apiece and they are sold at 5 manats for 11 eggs.
They are sold in a package of 11 eggs at 5 manats.The supplies run out 15 to 20 minutes after the start of sale.
As in January 2020, sugar costs 7 manats a kilo in state-run stores.However, customers are obliged to buy a kilo of rice with each kilo of sugar they purchase.
In privately-owned stores sugar is sold at 15 manats a kilo.In January 2020 it cost 10 manats.The post Review of grocery prices in Turkmenistan for the fourth quarter of 2020 first appeared on Chronicles of Turkmenistan.