VZCZCXRO6496
RR RUEHIK
DE RUEHAH #0114 0250727
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 250727Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4118
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 6159
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3844
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3703
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 4403
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1435
RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 4328
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC

UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000114 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: FOOD PRICES GENERALLY STABLE 
 
¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for Public 
Internet. 
 
¶2. (U) A recent price check for basic food items at 
the local market revealed that prices for locally 
produced food items have not changed, but remained 
high since August 2009.  Prices for imported food 
items fell since last August, in part due to price 
fluctuations on the global market. 
 
Food Item        Jan 2010         Aug 2009    % change 
                   DTM              DTM 
 
Bread              1.60 ($.56)      1.60            0 
(average price for one loaf) 
 
Flour (1 kg)       1.80 ($.63)      1.80            0 
 
Rice (1 kg)        5.00 ($1.75)     5.00            0 
 
Butter (1 kg)     12.00 ($4.20)    15.00 ($5.30)  -20 
 
Veg. Oil (1 lit)   4.20 ($1.50)     4.20            0 
 
Sugar (1 kg)       3.00 ($1.05)     2.80 ($.99)   +14 
 
Beef (1 kg)       10.00 ($3.50)    10.00            0 
 
Chicken (1 kg)    10.00 ($3.50)    10.00            0 
 
Milk (1 lit)       2.40 ($.86)      2.40            0 
 
Cheese (1 kg)     20.00 ($7)       26.00 ($9.15)  -23 
 
Eggs (ten)         5.00 ($1.75)     5.00            0 
 
¶3. (SBU) As the above table shows, prices for imported 
dairy products dropped between 20 to 23 percent.  It 
is possible that this price decrease is an attempt to 
unload goods that are nearing their expiration date. 
Embassy officers have noticed that expiration dates on 
most of the boxed, long-life milk being sold in stores 
now are the same as the expiration dates on milk that 
was being sold in August.  An increase in the price of 
sugar on the global market resulted in the increase of 
its price on the local market. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Bread prices are officially subsidized if 
purchased at government-run bakeries, but the supply 
for sale is limited.  The price for bread at the 
market is three to ten times higher than the 
government bakery price.  Beef and chicken are the 
only food items subject to government-imposed price 
ceilings. 
 
¶5. (SBU) COMMENT: Following the president's decree on 
the ten percent wage increase effective January 1, 
2010 locals expected an increase in food prices.  This 
has not happened yet, but might happen February, when 
local people will receive their first increased 
paychecks.  END COMMENT.