This season, the markets of Tajikistan have noticeably less cherries and peaches, and prices for them remain high. Farmers attribute the situation primarily to the weather: the warm February “woke up” the orchards early, and then the cold March rains and spring temperature fluctuations damaged the flowers and the ovaries of future fruits.
The Weather Affected the Harvest
This season, there are significantly fewer cherries and peaches in the markets of Tajikistan than usual. In Dushanbe, a kilogram of cherries, depending on the quality, freshness, and size of the fruits, is sold for 20 to 50 somoni.
Peaches cost up to 55 somoni per kilogram.
According to price monitoring data from the agroinform.asia website, as of June 1, 2026, the average price of peaches was 37.4 somoni per kilogram, compared to 22.4 somoni a year earlier.
The price of cherries has increased on average from 22 to 33 somoni per kilogram over the year.
Farmers and gardeners say that the reason is not only seasonal demand. Weather conditions have affected the harvest: a warm winter, early awakening of the orchards, temperature fluctuations in spring, rains, and increased humidity.
For stone fruits—especially cherries and peaches—such weather swings are dangerous. If the trees bloom early, and then cold weather or prolonged rains come, the flowers and ovaries get damaged. As a result, the harvest decreases, and some fruits lose their marketable appearance even before reaching the market.
The situation with cherries is particularly sensitive. This is a perishable berry: under high humidity, it quickly overripens, cracks, rots, and falls off.
Gardeners note that in rainy weather, part of the harvest is virtually impossible to transport to the buyer in good condition.
“With proper care, a responsible owner, and favorable weather conditions, it is possible to harvest 10 to 15 tons of fruit per hectare in a single season,” says farmer Abdullo Nouraliyev.
However, favorable conditions do not always occur. This year, according to gardeners, the weather has become one of the main factors for the decrease in supply in the markets.
“Spring started off warm, so the trees bloomed early, but then came rains and fluctuating weather conditions. This is harmful for cherries: part of the fruit set falls off, and some berries crack,” said a farmer from the Hisor Valley.
Peaches are also sensitive to the weather, especially during the flowering period. Experts note that this crop poorly withstands spring frosts.
Moreover, Tajikistan still lacks large industrial peach plantations in sufficient volume: a significant part of the harvest comes from farmers’ orchards and household plots. Therefore, compensating for losses is difficult.
Why Prices Are Rising
Vendors in the markets of Dushanbe confirm: there is little quality cherry this season, which is why prices remain high.
“Good, large, fresh cherries are quickly picked up. They are already being brought to us at a high price, plus transportation and losses — all of this affects the cost,” says the cherry seller at the market.
Price is influenced not only by the harvest but also by storage. The country still has few cold storage facilities where cherries and other perishable fruits can be kept after harvest. Therefore, farmers try to sell their harvest as quickly as possible before the berries lose quality.
As a result, the market is heavily dependent on the short harvest period. If the harvest in certain weeks is lower than expected, or part of the produce spoils due to rains and heat, prices quickly rise.
Cherries and peaches need to be carefully harvested, sorted, packaged, and quickly delivered to the market. Any delay means losses. Transportation costs, packaging, treatment of orchards against diseases and pests, and the margins of intermediaries ultimately factor into the retail price.
Gardeners say that there are usually no problems with selling cherries: wholesalers and buyers quickly take the berries. The problem is different—collecting and delivering quality products to the market on time.
