IFPRI CA NEWS DIGEST (JUNE 14, 2016 – JUNE 27, 2016)

First ever hypermarket opens in Tajikistan

(AKIpress, 25 June 2016) Tajikistan’s first hypermarket opened in the country’s capital, Dushanbe, providing its customers with high-quality produce, greater choice and western standards of hygiene and logistics. Tajik President Emomali Rahmon inaugurated the 5,000 m2 Auchan hypermarket, which has the support of financing from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The discount hypermarket will be operated by Schiever Tajikistan, a subsidiary of the French Schiever Group, which holds the Auchan franchise in the mountainous country of eight million people in Central Asia, on the border with Afghanistan and China.

FAO, EBRD work to enhance grain market transparency in Kazakhstan

(FAO News, 23 June 2016) An agricultural information system for Kazakhstan was unveiled last week, with the objective of improving transparency in the country’s increasingly important grain sector. FAO and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) – with support from Kazagromarketing – conducted presentations in Astana, Kostanay and Almaty on the Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS). Presenters demonstrated how AMIS works and what it can do for Kazakhstan’s grain market. The programme was part of a joint FAO-EBRD technical assistance project entitled, “Enhancing grain market transparency in Kazakhstan – for informed market prospects and investment decision-making.”

National Bank carries out largest intervention in June

(24 News Agency, 21 June 2016) The National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic has carried out the largest intervention in June. Official website of the bank reports. According to it, on the eve, fall in dollar exchange rate forced the National Bank to re-enter the currency market. As a result, it purchased $ 4.25 million with the calculations on the date of the transaction and $ 6.7 million with the calculations different from the transaction date. This is the fourth intervention in June. Since the beginning of the month, about $ 29.45 million have been seized from the currency market.

Kyrgyzstan provides itself only with 4 out of 9 basic food products

(24 News Agency, 20 June 2016) Kyrgyzstan provides itself only with 4 out of 9 basic food products. The Head of the Department of the government's executive office Almazbek Zheenaliev announced today at a national forum on nutrition and food security. According to him, the country is self-sufficient only in four positions. This is the bread and bakery products, vegetables and gourds, milk and dairy products, as well as potatoes. "We are dependent on imports on other basic products (oil, sugar, meat, fruit and vegetables, eggs). To get a quality product, the principle "from field to table" should be working. This is agricultural production, harvesting, transportation, storage and processing according to international requirements. We have to use this principle to obtain food security.

International Monetary Fund to give Kyrgyzstan $13.4 mln loan

(24 News Agency, 20 June 2016) International Monetary Fund will give Kyrgyzstan $13.4 million loan. The decision was made after the completion of the second review of implementation of the agreements of the Kyrgyz Republic on the use of Extended Credit Facility.It is noted that in the framework of a three-year agreement the total amount of provided funds will amount to approximately $40.3 million. In total, the IMF and the Kyrgyz Republic has an agreement on a loan for the Extended Credit Facility at nearly 92.4 million.

Eurasian Economic Commission officially lifts phytosanitary control on Kyrgyz-Kazakh border

(AKIpress, 20 June 2016) The Eurasian Economic Commission on August 21 made the decision to approve the results of assessment of the Kyrgyzstan's quarantine phytosanitary control system, familiarization with the sanitary and epidemiological surveillance system of Kyrgyzstan, the State Inspectorate for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Safety of Kyrgyzstan reported…

Dushanbe hosts Economic Meeting-2016

(Asia-Plus, 16 June 2016)  GIZ Program “Framework and Finance for Private Sector Development in Tajikistan” (FFPSD) in partnership with the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of Tajikistan will hold a regular annual Dushanbe Economic Meeting. The Dushanbe Economic Meeting-2016 will take place at the National Library on June 17 and cover the issues of ensuring sustainable economic development in conditions of global instability and structural changes.

FAO guidelines for world agricultural census published in Russian language

(FAO News, 15 June 2016) With a new global round of country-driven agricultural censuses set to begin, FAO has issued new guidelines in Russian, as well as English, French and Spanish.

Entitled World Programme for the Census of Agriculture, the guidelines book is now being distributed to key players in all countries across Europe and Central Asia. The purpose of the guidelines – provided by FAO every 10 years – is to assist governments in carrying out their national-level agricultural censuses, tailored to various different country needs and capacities.

A record-breaking 135 countries participated in the 2006-2015 census round. Their experience and lessons learnt are reflected in the latest recommendations, which covers the period 2016-2025.

Publications

Russia Monthly Economic Developments

(The World Bank Brief, June 2016) Overview: · Preliminary estimates for real GDP growth in the first quarter of 2016 show a contraction of 1.2 percent, significantly lower than the -2.8 percent in the first quarter of 2015. · Oil prices recovered to almost US$50 per barrel in early June, mostly due to supply-side factors. · Since February, the ruble exchange rate appreciated only marginally against the dollar, despite a strong increase in oil prices, reflecting a higher demand for dollars. · Industrial activity continued to recover in April, accompanied by a stabilization in the demand for services. · Russia’s government successfully returned to global capital markets, issuing US$1.75 billion in 10-year Eurobonds. · Russia's banking sector remains under pressure with the share of non-performing loans rising. Russian Version Available.