Armenians, Tajiks Suffer From Hunger Most, Report Says

Baku Today
May 27 2004

Among countries of the former Soviet Union, Armenia and Tajikistan
are those suffering from hunger most, said a report by a UN Food
and Agriculture Organization expert, David Sedik, ANS reported on
Wednesday.

According to the expert, 40 percent of Armenians and Tajiks are living
on the edge of starvation.

In Azerbaijan Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kirgizistan, 35
percent of population does not have enough to eat, the report said.

The figure is 20 percent in Belarus, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and
Moldovia. In total, 38 million people suffer from malnutrition in
former Soviet republics, according to the report.

However, the problem is not so serious in ex-Communist countries that
now are members of the European Union. Among the mentioned nations, the
worst situation with inefficient nutrition is in Latvia and Slovakia.

The figure doesn’t surpass 2 percent in Czech republic and Hungary and
it is only 1 percent in Poland, the report says, explaining that the
problem with starvation arises mainly from low salaries and pensions.