In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, the Antimonopoly Agency head Abdulmajid Muminzoda noted yesterday that the Agency is currently studying the reasonableness of prices for all services rendered to the population in Tajikistan.  

“On January 28, we sent inquiry concerning the reasonableness of collection of 80 dirams from subscribers for serving a telephone number to all mobile companies operating in the country and the communications service agency,” Muminzoda said.  

Recall, the mobile companies have collected subscription fees in the amount of 80 dirams per month since July 1, 2015.  

“We have given the mobile companies and the communications service agency a month to submit their replies on what basis they collect these 89 dirams,” the Antimonopoly Agency head noted.

According to him, some companies have not reviewed prices for their services since 2011.  “In order to cover their expenses they charge a fee higher than it is indicated in the official forms,” he said

He further noted that the Antimonopoly Agency has the right to intervene in market prices if a product rises in price at once 20 percent.

“To-date, no product has risen in price at once 20 percent.  Only wheat flour has risen in price 17 percent and we have reacted to that.  Due to this, the price for a 50-kilogram sack of wheat flour has dropped from 220 somoni to 202 somoni,” Muminzoda said.        

According to him, the wheat flour price hike has resulted from decreasing harvest of wheat in Kazakhstan, which provides the bulk of Tajikistan's grin and flour imports. 

By the way, Tajikistan’s annual requirements in wheat are 1 million tons.