DUSHANBE, August 21, Asia-Plus — In a report released at a press conference in Dushanbe, Tillomurod Doniyorov, a chief specialist with the directorate for international tie within the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), revealed on August 21 that three labs for classifying cotton fiber quality and issuing international standard compliance certificates will be put into operation in Tajikistan in the near future.
According to him, the labs, which are part of the structure of joint venture, closed joint-stock company (CJSC) Tajikistan-WIS (Wakefield Inspection Services), will be established in Dushanbe, Khujand and Khatlon’s Bokhtar district. Doniyorov said that by government’s resolution CJSC Tajikistan-WIS was established in 2006.
“Due to funds allocated by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), more than 1 million US dollars worth of the state-of-the art lab equipment will be purchased,” the chief specialist said. “Besides, the Liverpool-headquartered Wakefield Inspection Services plans organization of training for employees of Tajikistan-WIS at the expense of its contribution to the company’s authorized capital.”
We will recall that the Asian Development Bank has allocated over $2.7 million for introduction of Universal Cotton Grading Standards in Tajikistan and establishment of the mentioned laboratories.
The laboratories will allow determining quality of cotton fiber in accordance with international practice within several minutes, which will allow setting a better price for Tajik cotton on international markets and higher rewards for Tajik farmers.
Specialists from Tajikistan-WIS are to start classification of quality of cotton fiber beginning from this year’s cotton harvest.
“If earlier, in accordance with standards adopted within the CIS area, to classify quality of cotton we had inspected 10 percent of 240 bales of cotton (totaling 50 tons), now, international standard compliance certificate will be issued for each bale of cotton,” Doniyorov said.
