ASHGHABAT (Central Asia Media) — In 2018, Turkmenistan began exporting chicken eggs. During the year, 79.4 mln eggs, worth more than $3.8 mln, were sold on the foreign market.

Meanwhile, since last year, there has been a food shortage in the country, including restrictions on the sale of eggs, and queues have been observed. From December onwards, eggs disappeared from shops and markets, products were sold in limited quantities and in long lines. The eggs were sold under police control.

By the end of 2017, the world’s largest egg producers are China, followed by the United States. The United States seems to have less need for eggs than the Turkmen people.

In the context of the crisis, the Ministry of Trade of Turkmenistan reported a stock of chicken eggs in the country and, at the end of December 2018, there were 2 mln. However, the Svoboda agency reported that since the eggs were exported, there were no more eggs in government stores.

The export price is ¢5/egg, less than 17 tenge, despite the fact that ¢1 is 3.5 manat. In state stores, the price of eggs for 2017 was 0.33 manat, or 33 tenge. This year it has increased to 60-65 tenge, but they are also sold in limited quantities. The sold eggs were damaged or chickens had already started to appear.

Since 2017, there has been a food shortage in Turkmenistan, while the government media have reported on “the abundance of products”.