DUSAHNBE, June 13, Asia-Plus – A wheat harvesting campaign has started in some regions of
Tajikistan
. Thus, the southern province of Khatlon, Rudaki, Vahdat, Hissor and Shahrinav districts have gathered wheat from a total area of 6,959 hectares, which is 3,501 hectares more than last year, according to information from the Ministry of Agriculture.
Bobomurod Tabarov, an official with the Ministry of Agriculture, says they have produced 10,444 tons of wheat from the first threshing, which is nearly 40 percent more compared to the same period of the last year.
The Ministry of Agriculture has not yet received information about the wheat harvesting campaign in northern Tajikistan and the Rasht Valley (eastern Tajikistan).
“According to estimates of experts from the Ministry of Economy and Trade, this year’s wheat harvest is expected to amount to 1,012,034 tons,” said Bobomurod Tabarov, “282,700 hectares of farmland have been sown with wheat this year.”
Last year, grain farms in Tajikistan yielded 934,880 tons of wheat, according to Tabarov. He reminded that a program aimed at raising productivity of wheat and bringing wheat harvest in Tajikistan up to one million tons was completed last year. This program was designed for 2001-2005. “Last year, Tajikistan reached 93 percent of the annual target,” Bobomurod Tabarov said, noting that the republic failed to fulfill the target completely for shortage of combine harvesters, mineral fertilizers and seeds.
The Asia-Plus interlocutor added that Tajikistan’s annual requirements of wheat are 1.5 million tons. “It is possible that we will reach these indices in several years,” Mr. Tabarov supposed.
In the meantime, Tajikistan continues importing wheat and wheat flout from Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Over the first five months of this year, “Ghalla” (grain supply) State Unitary Enterprise has delivered to the country more than 90,000 tons of wheat.
