At the session of the Cabinet of Ministers held on 24 January, 2020 Chary Gylydzhov, Deputy Prime Minister overseeing trade, gave a progress report on the efforts undertaken in assisting small and medium-size business as well as extending import substitution and export oriented manufacturing facilities.
The state information agency TDH reports that President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov emphasized the importance of supporting investment projects in agriculture and supplying agricultural produce to the domestic market.
The head of state instructed the Deputy Prime Minister to intensify foreign trade relations and search for overseas distribution channels to sell the surplus of groceries as well as constantly analyze the needs of domestic consumers.
In the autumn of 2019 for the first time the President said Turkmenistan needed to sell the surplus of groceries overseas.
In the meantime, queues for bread again formed in front of state-run stores in Ashgabat.