According to him, there are no grounds for raising the cost of meat in the country. "We have 9 million 200 thousand hectares of pastures, which is unmatched in the world. On these pastures, livestock can graze for six to eight months. Horses, in turn, can stay there year-round, especially in low-snow winters. Thus, I believe there are no reasons for price increases," Chotonov noted.
He added that the rise in meat prices is unjustified and is the result of artificial inflation. According to Chotonov, resellers manipulate prices based on the export value of live cattle that is sent to neighboring countries.
"Currently, live cattle are being sold abroad, and this affects pricing in the domestic market. Resellers, buying cattle at low prices, then set high prices for meat, guided by export values," he explained.
Chotonov also noted that about 65-70% of the population of Kyrgyzstan lives in rural areas and engages in livestock farming, which allows the country to fully provide itself with meat.
