KULOB, May 13, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- By May 13, farmers in five cotton-growing districts of Khatlon’s Kulob region have planted cotton on 25,809 hectares, which is 76 percent of the target fro this year, Abdullo Rajabov, leading specialist with the Kulob agriculture directorate, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

“However, torrential rain in recent days have demolished cotton on 759 hectares of agricultural fields and local farmers have to re-sow cotton on these fields,” Rajabov said.

According to him, the worst hit area are Kulob and Danghara districts, where rain has demolished 299 and 220 hectares of cotton fields respectively.