KHOROG, August 20, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- A scientific-practical seminar to discuss issues related to gathering and preserving fruit harvests in farming units of Gorno Badakhshan was held in GBAO’s Vanj district on August 19.  

Speaking at the seminar, Deputy Agriculture Minister, Sijadiddin Isroilov, noted that the objective of the seminar is to train local gardeners in low-cost technologies of drying fruits, in particular apricots, in the region.  

Director of the Republican Research Institute for Horticulture Tursoun Ahmadov noted that local gardeners could use low-cost technologies such as smoke of ‘olitgugird’ (sulfurization) for drying fruits.  “Oltingugird is sold on any market and costs only 1.5 somonis per one kilogram,” said Ahmadov, “Only one kilogram of oltingugird is needed for drying 1o0 kilograms of apricots.”

According to him, this technology gives dried fruits salable condition and preserves them from pests for along time.  

During the seminar, it was noted that the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) is ready to train the GBAO farmers not only drying fruits but also in canning them.  According to hem it will allow preserving harvests and promote improvement of living conditions of the population.  

According to the GBAO agriculture directorate, 1,205 tons of fruits were gathered from 2,082 hectares of gardens in Gorno Badakhshan in 2007.