DUSHANBE, February 8, Asia-Plus -- Tajikistan is running late with preparation for cotton-sowing campaign, which is scheduled to start in two months, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection (MoAEP).  

“Farming units have to date ploughed only 66.4 percent of areas allotted for cotton,” a source at a MoAEP said. 

According to him, Tajikistan plans to have sown cotton on an area of 262,887 hectares of lands this year and delays may affect quality of cotton and its productivity. 

Delays in preparations for the cotton-sowing campaign have been caused by shortage of manpower and agricultural machines as well as lack of finance.  

The source noted that only four districts in the country – Ghonchi, Sarband, Hissor and Shahritus – had completed preparations for the cotton-sowing campaign.  

In the meantime, many farming units are running late in stockpiling cottonseeds.  So far, only 18,665 tons of cottonseeds have been stockpiled in the republic, which is only 59.2 percent of the target determined at 31,547 tons of cottonseeds. 

According to the MoAEP, only three districts in the republic have fulfilled their targets on stockpiling cottonseeds – Konibodom (1,303 tons against the projected 867 tons), Tursunzoda (1,769 tons against the projected 868 tons) and Rudaki (500 tons against the projected 387 tons).