Assessment of wheat flour milling industry in Tajikistan


Although the latest national micronutrient survey for Tajikistan has shown improvements in nutrition indicators since 2003, the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies in Tajikistan is still high and of public health concern.

This assessment of the wheat flour milling industry in Tajikistan looks at the current picture of the flour produced and sold in the country and the existing fortification provisions, identifies gaps and challenges in the milling industry in relation to future fortification efforts, and presents recommendations to enact and implement legislation to enhance flour fortification and therefore the nutritional standards of the population.

The findings showed that there is enough milling capacity in the country to meet local demand for wheat products. However, it has been found that consumers in Tajikistan, in common with those in their neighbouring countries, prefer flour produced from wheat grown in Kazakhstan because of its high quality. The primary conclusion of this assessment is that fortification is feasible but should be mandatory and not a voluntary program focused on a single province.