DUSAHNBE, March 31, Asia-Plus - A cotton-sowing campaign is starting in Tajikistan tomorrow.  In some areas of southern Tajikistan the cotton-sowing campaign started in mid-March already.  

Saidmurod Bahriddinov, head of the industrial crops department of the Ministry of Agriculture, told Asia-Plus that to date, 12,353 hectares of lands in Khatlon province had already been sown with cotton.   

In the northern province of Sughd , 320 hectares of lands have to date been sown with cotton, according to him.   

The industrial crops department head also noted that mass cotton-sowing campaign in northern Tajikistan and Hissor Valley (central Tajikistan ) would be launched on April 5.  

On the preparation of cottonseeds, Mr. Bahriddinov noted that the target on stocking up the cottonseeds had been over-fulfilled by 13 percent.  “According the target, it was planned to prepare 30,852 tons of seeds, while the farming units have to date prepared 34,877 tons of the seeds.” 

At the same time, some cotton-growing farms in the country have not been properly provided yet with mineral fertilizers, according to him. 

Thus, farming units in Sughd have received so far nitric fertilizers in the amount of 7.4 percent of the target, phosphor fertilizers 23 percent.  They have not so far received potash fertilizers at all. 

The cotton-growing farms in Khatlon have received 7.9 percent of nitric fertilizers in the amount of 7.9 percent, phosphor fertilizers – 33.1 percent and potash fertilizers – 0.7 percent.  

The cotton-growing farms in the districts subordinate to the center have to date received the nitric fertilizers in the amount of 14.1 percent of the target, phosphor fertilizers – 30 percent and the potash fertilizers – 2.3 percent.  

According to experts, shortage of mineral fertilizers may negatively impact the cotton harvest.   

According to figures provided by the State Committee for Statistics, of 19,741 agricultural machines at agricultural enterprises and farming units, only 11,489 tractors (58 percent) have been in good order as of March 1 2006 .  

In the meantime, according to Amrullo Abdulloyev, head of the mechanization department of the Ministry of Agriculture, the situation has changed for better and more other agricultural machines have to date been prepared for the sowing campaign.  

We will recall that that 258,589 hectares of lands are planned to be sown with cotton this year, which is 38,000 hectares fewer compared to 2005.  The national target for 2006 has been determined at 550,000 tons.