Turkmen bread prices rise; agriculture minister fired

ASGHABAT – Since the start of July, bread prices in Turkmenistan have risen sharply – with the price of state-made loaves more than tripling.

A loaf of traditional white state-baked bread that formerly cost 1 TMT (35 US cents) now sells for 1.6 TMT (58 US cents). Privately baked bread and other baked goods also went up in price 30%.

A harvest shortfall that will leave the country at least 500,000 tonnes short of wheat is blamed for the price increases. Turkmenistan had planned for a 1.6m-tonne grain harvest, but as of July 6, only Lebap Oblast had fulfilled its plan, earning that oblast's government a Cadillac Escalade from President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.

In response to the price rises and diminished harvest, Berdymukhamedov July 6 fired Agriculture Minister Merdan Bairamov and Association for Bread Products Chairman Yeldash Ashyrov, the State News Agency of Turkmenistan reported July 6.