DUSHANBE, September 23, 2008, Asia-Plus  All categories of farms in Tajikistan have produced 145,200 tons of vegetables from an area of more than 8,000 hectares since the beginning of this year, which is 43.2 percent of this year’s target and 1,700 tons more than in the same period of last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

This year, farmers have planted vegetables on 13,214 hectares.  Tajik farmers intend to have produced more than 320,000 tons of vegetables by the end of the year.

Over the report period, farmers have produced more than 95,000 tons of watermelons, melons and gourds, which is 78.4 percent of the target.   Farming units intend to produce up to 121,621 tons of watermelons, melons and gourds this year.