DUSHANBE, May 22, Asia-Plus - Strong wing wind and torrential rain that hit some southern areas of Tajikistan at the end of last week affected 1,159 hectares of cotton fields and 269 hectares of gardens in the Nosir Khusrav district, Khatlon province, Asia-Plus has learned from a source at the Committee for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense (CES).

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection (MoAEP) has confirmed this information and said that farmers began re-sowing cotton on the mentioned plantations. 

“We are currently sowing early ripening varieties of cotton on those fields,” Maqsadullo Ismoilov, the head of the MoAEP plant-growing department, said, adding that they plan to re-sow cotton on some 3,000 hectares of lands in southern Tajikistan. 

“Besides, some 200 hectares will be re-sown in the northern province of Sughd and some 800,hectares in districts subordinate to the center (RRPs),“ the MoAEP official said.  

In the meantime, Ismoilov claims last week’s heavy rainfalls did not damage cotton fields in the country; on contrary, “they were useful for growing cotton.”  “Many cotton-growing farms have failed to provide watering to their plantations and rains have proved most welcome,” Ismoilov said, noting that some 40%-45% of areas under cotton have experienced moisture this year.  

According to the MoAEP, 256,222 hectares of lands have been allotted for cotton this year.