DUSHANBE, August 23, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- All categories of farms in Tajikistan are expected to stockpile some 638,000 tons of forages this year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA).   

The source at a MoA said that they have stockpiled 381,889 tons of forages so far, which is 61 percent of this year’s target.  According to him, forages should be stockpiled at the rate of 10.7 quintals per head of cattle.

The Khatlon province has reached 79 percent of its laying-in of fodder target by August 23, Gorno Badakhshan – 23 percent, the Sughd province – 42 percent and districts subordinate to the center (RRPs) – 64 percent.  

According to figures provided by the State Committee for Statistics, as of July 1, 2008, the cattle population in the country has been estimated at 1.475 million head and the sheep and goat population has been estimated at more than 4,000 million head.