Baku, Azerbaijan, July 3
By Fikret Dolukhanov - Trend:
The prices for goods and services in the consumer market of Uzbekistan fell by 2.7 percent in June 2018, the Central Bank of Uzbekistan stated July 3.
The decline in prices is primarily due to the seasonal cheapening of fruits and vegetables.
At the same time, if the prices of fruits and vegetables are not taken into account, the average prices have risen by 0.8 percent. The cheapening of tomatoes (66.7 percent), cucumbers (52.6 percent), potatoes (45.7 percent) and apples (35.8 percent) have exerted a significant restraining effect on the growth of the overall price level.
The Central Bank notes that, the mass flow to the markets of vegetables and fruits of the new harvest contributes to a significant excess of their supply over demand in the domestic market.
At the same time, measures to improve the system of placement of vegetables in storage, and development of the infrastructure of their cold storage and processing can become factors of creating additional demand for them during the ripening period, as well as restraining a sharp increase in prices for these products in off-season periods.
The strengthening of exchange rate of the som and liberalization of foreign trade, especially with border states, have ensured that the prices for non-food products remain stable.
The rise in prices of services by 1.4 percent in June was driven mainly by the increase in tariffs for dental services – 13.1 percent, passenger fares for travel on the city bus - by 11.6 percent and services for the transportation of goods by vehicles - by 3 percent.
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