Correspondents of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan” report that many groceries are still not available in state-run stores of Turkmenistan.
Fruit, cotton seed oil and eggs have disappeared from the counters of state-run retail outlets. Rationed groceries are sold together with other slow moving merchandise.
For example, tomatoes are sold with a limit of 1 kilo per customer at the price of 6 manats in the state-run shop located in “Azatlyk” market (formerly, Tashauz bazaar). If a customer needs more tomatoes, he will need to buy an additional kilo of carrots at 3 manats for each kilo of tomatoes.
An additional kilo of carrots needs to be purchased together with each chicken drumstick. A limit of 3 drumsticks per person applies with three kilos of carrots in a set.
All these groceries are available at the markets and in privately-owned stores where prices are not regulated by the state. However, prices in privately-owned shops are several times higher than in state-run stores.
For examples, tomatoes cost 11 to 15 manats per kilo.The cheapest rotting apples are sold at 25 manats per kilo at the markets whereas fresher apples are available at 40 to 45 manats.
Last year they were sold at 6 manats per kilo in state-run stores.
Bananas, oranges, pears, which used to be sold at a fixed price of 6 mants, are now being sold at 50 manats at the market.
Prices in supermarkets are even higher. For instance, a kilo of bananas costs 77,3 manats at “Milli” supermarket ($22 using the official rate or $2,5 at “the black market” rate).
Privately-owned retail outlets are selling eggs at 32-33 manats for a 30 piece pack. A 5 liter bottle of cotton seed oil “Akhal” currently costs 105 manats. It was previously sold at 3,50 manats per liter.
In an attempt to attract more customers, Giper, one of the most popular online stores in Turkmenistan, offers 6 free eggs to those customers who have made a purchase of 150 manats and more.
The lack of rationed and subsidized groceries and a price hike in bazars have hit hard in the pockets of many Turkmen families. One of the customers queuing for bread complained to a correspondent of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan” that she has been unable to buy pears or tangerines for her children over the past month.
In the meantime, at the meeting held on 23 February, 2021 President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov said that “our key goal now is to ensure availability of groceries in Turkmenistan and providing markets with a variety of high quality fruits and vegetables in sufficient quantity”.The post State-run stores in Turkmenistan experience an acute shortage of groceries.
A supermarket in Ashgabat attracts customers by giving away eggs first appeared on Chronicles of Turkmenistan.