The food crisis broke out in Turkmenistan last year. People queued to buy oil, eggs, sugar, chicken drumsticks and flour. At that moment prices for these food products increased by 50% on average and some groceries saw an 80% price increase.
As of today, some decrease in prices for groceries is being observed. For example, sugar can be bought at a supermarket at a price of 3,20 manats per kilo and there are no queues. During the boom a restriction of 1,5 kg per person at a price of 4,80-5,20 manats per kilo applied. In privately-owned retail outlets and rural areas the price reached 15 manats.
At the end of last year and in early 2017 a shortage of hens eggs was recorded. First a restriction of 15 eggs at a price of 5 manats per customer applied. Then, when the situation exacerbated, only 5-6 eggs per person at a price of 5 manats were sold. It should be mentioned that eggs could be bought only in major supermarkets and state-run stores. There were either no eggs in privately-owned retail outlets or they were sold at 16 manats per 30 eggs. Now eggs are available at 9,90 manats per 30 eggs.
Chicken drumsticks can now be bought at 8 manats per kilo without any queues. Let us recall that last year the price for chicken thighs reached 15 manats.
Flour has appeared on counters of the stores again. Local flour costs 0,90 mants per kilo whereas the price for imported Russian or Kazakhstan flour ranges from 3,40 to 4,10 manats per kilo.
No oil deficit is being observed at the moment. There are several kinds of Russian vegetable oil which costs 9 manats per liter whereas a 5 liter container is sold at 38-42 manats depending on the producer.
Food prices statistics in Turkmenistan for the period of 2016-2017
Source: Chronicles of Turkmenistan