Today, you practically will not see at Tajikistan’s bazaars fruits and vegetables grown from domestic seeds. “Foreigners” have high productivity, but their taste and aroma are not the same.
Farmers are interested in planting seeds giving a large harvest. Domestic species of potatoes, tomatoes, water melons, cabbages, cucumbers and strawberries have practically disappears from the country’s bazaars in recent years. They have been replaced with fruits and vegetables grown from seeds delivered from abroad – Dutch, Chinese, Israeli and so forth.
Today, you practically will not see “Malik” apples (domestic species) or “Early Rose” potatoes (domestic species) at local bazaars.
Farmers say domestic seeds are nowhere to be found.
Habibullo, a farmer from the Shahrinav district, says he cannot find domestic seeds of vegetables and is forced to use seeds delivered from abroad.
“Indeed, they give a good harvest, but only in the first year. This year, I have planted imported onion seeds and have had a good yield – 60 tons. However, next year, the harvest will drop 50 percent and I will have to buy new seeds. The majority of farming units do not have base for seed growing,” Habibullo noted.
Experts say imported seeds are not adapted to our conditions. “They have high productivity but they fall behind domestic seeds in terms of quality,” Qurbonali Partoyev, Candidate of Sciences in Agriculture, told Asia-Plus in an interview.
According to him, Tajik researchers proved during 1940-1990s that imported potato seed cannot be alternative to domestic potato seeds.
“Unfortunately, heads of ministries, agencies and farming units have ignored researchers’ recommendations,” said Partoyev. “I think it is time to refuse expensive and sometimes dangerous imported material and strengthen potential of domestic researchers and farmers in order to achieve the seed independence of the country.”
