According to EastFruit analysts, prices for bell peppers in Tajikistan have fallen to 1 TJS per kg (about $0.08 per kg). In other words, 11.5 kg of bell peppers can be bought at $1! Naturally, these low prices do not cover the production costs of Tajik growers.
There have never been such low prices for peppers in Tajikistan. Usually at this time, bell peppers in the country are sold in bulk at $0.30-0.40 per kg.
Among the reasons for such a dramatic drop in pepper prices, market participants cite the overproduction of pepper in 2021. However, a consultant to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Bakhtiyor Abduvokhidov, notes another factor – the absence of a cold chain.
“If farmers were to harvest peppers during a period of low prices at the right stage of maturity, cool and store them, as it is done in other countries, they could make good money. Indeed, by mid-November, prices for bell peppers in Tajikistan often exceed $1.5 per kg. This is also a good idea for resellers, since business that allows to get 1500% of profitability in just one month is rare! However, for peppers to survive for more than two weeks, they should initially be grown in such a way to be suitable for storage. They should have the necessary packaging – it is preferable to store them in bags with a modified atmosphere of the MAP type. In addition, the necessary set of knowledge and skills that are currently lacking in Tajikistan is required. A couple of years ago, Tajik vegetable growers tried to lay peppers for storage, but, unfortunately, they rotted quickly. However, if everything is done correctly from the start, the return on the invested will be good” notes Bakhtiyor Abduvokhidov.
Experts name several more opportunities that could be used by bell pepper producers in Tajikistan. “Wholesale prices for peppers in Russia now reach $1.8-2.0 per kg. Therefore, if products are cooled and have modern packaging, exporting peppers from Tajikistan to Russia could be a very profitable business now. Moreover, the country has the opportunity to sort and collect batches of high-quality peppers even manually,” says Andriy Yarmak, economist at the FAO Investment Centre.
He also notes that pepper could be used as a raw material for processing. “Frozen bell peppers are one of the most popular products in the frozen vegetables segment. Given the good taste of peppers grown in Tajikistan, they could be successfully exported to many countries around the world. Unfortunately, there is almost no freezing of vegetables, fruits and berries in Tajikistan, despite the excellent opportunities for the development of this business,” adds Andriy Yarmak.
According to official trade statistics, Tajikistan does not export peppers at all. At the same time, the import of peppers into the country has been steadily growing in recent years. In 2020, more than 300 tons of pepper were imported to Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan became the main supplier. Bell peppers were also imported to Tajikistan in 2020 from Pakistan and Turkey.
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