KHUJAND, October 10, 2013, Asia-Plus — To-date, local cotton growers have reached 67 percent of this year’s target that has been determined at 112,563 tons of raw cotton, an official source at the Sughd main agriculture directorate told Asia-Plus Thursday afternoon.
According to him, Sughd cotton producing districts have yielded more than 76,000 tons of raw cotton by October 10. “120 cotton producing farms have already reported fulfillment of their cotton targets,” the source added.
This year, Sughd cotton growers reportedly planted cotton on 57,420 hectares.
In 2012, Sughd cotton growers planted cotton on 61,250 hectares and yielded 113,689 tons of raw cotton.
Cotton makes an important contribution to both the agricultural sector and the national economy of Tajikistan. Cotton accounts for 60 percent of agricultural output, supports 75 percent of the rural population, and uses 45 percent of irrigated arable land. At the national level, it is an important source of both export earnings and tax revenue. Tajikistan is the world’s fourth largest exporter of cotton, and there is strong demand on international markets for its high quality product.
