KHUJAND, July 2, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Sughd farmers are expected to have record grain harvests this year, Bobojon Domulloyev, the head of the Sughd agriculture directorate, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

Sughd farmers have planted gains, including wheat, barley and other cereals, on 87,622 hectares of farmland this year.

“The harvesting campaign is progressing in the province and a average productivity is 2.06 tons per hectare, which is nearly two times higher than last year (in 2008, an average productivity was 1.11 tons/ha),” Domulloyev said.

According to him, the highest wheat yields have been reported in the Isfara district -- 3 ton/ha.  Farmers in Jabborrasulov and Konibodom districts have reported wheat yields of 2.57 tons/ha and 2.3 tons/ha respectively.

“We have conducted testing in plane areas and the testing results have shown that productivity on irrigated fields will be more than 2.9 tons/ha and on dry-farming lands, the grain productivity will be up to 1.58 tons/ha,” said Domulloyev, “It turns out that we may produce some 137,000 tons of cereals this year, which is two times more than last year.”