DUSHANBE, August 21, 2008, Asia-Plus – Tajikistan is introducing Universal Cotton Grading Standards, Tillomurod Doniyorov, a chief specialist with the directorate for international tie within the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), remarked at a meeting with journalists in Dushanbe on August 21.
According to him, introduction of Universal Cotton Grading Standards will allow improving the cotton fiber classification, increasing cotton fiber exports and raising prices of it, as well as creating favorable conditions for cotton producers and investors.
The MoA official noted that according to estimates by international experts from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), with introduction of the universal cotton quality evaluation system the price of each ton of Tajik cotton will rise by 80-82 US dollars that may bring additional $12 million-$15 million.
With aid of international experts and employees of the ADB Dushanbe Office the MoA specialists has developed technical standard of cotton fiber, based on six standards of the United States Department of Agriculture, which have been approved by Tajikstandart (Tajik agency for standardization, certification, metrology and trade inspection) and included on the public register, he said.
Doniyorov noted that to provide a full transition to the international cotton quality evaluation system it is necessary to solve a number of issues connected with production and realization of raw cotton. “The ministry suggests that coordinating group should be set up with enlisting the services of specialists from the ministries and organizations,” the MoA official said.
