Although cotton growing regions of Tajikistan have already fulfilled their cotton targets they are continuing to pick this valuable textile raw material.
To-date, the country has yielded more than 372,000 tons of raw cotton, which is 5.2 percent more that it was originally planned, according to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA).
Recall, this year’s cotton target has been determined at 356,000 tons.
An official source at a MoA says this year's warm days and observance by farming units of cotton cultivation requirements have allowed cotton growing district to full the 2017 cotton target in a timely fashion.
In recent years, Tajikistan has reduced areas under cotton.
In 2012, Tajik cotton growers yielded 418,000 tons of raw cotton, in 2013 – 393,000 tons, in 2014 – 372,000 tons, in 2015 – 335,000 tons, and in 2016 – only 270,000 tons. In 2012, Tajikistan allocated some 200,000 hectares of agricultural lands to cotton cultivation, while in 2016, only 160,000 hectares were allocated to cotton cultivation in the country.
However, cotton makes an important contribution to both the agricultural sector and the national economy.
Along with primary aluminum, cotton has been one of major export items for Tajikistan. In 2015, cotton fiber accounted for 23.1 percent of Tajikistan’s exports. In 2016, cotton fiber’s share in Tajikistan’s exports fell to 16.1 percent.
