DUSHANBE, August 25, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Farmers in Shahritus, Qabodiyon and Panj districts of the southern Khatlon province have launched a cotton-harvesting campaign.

Director of Research Institute for Farming, Ziroatkori, at the Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Dr. Saidjamol Saidov, told Asia-Plus today that Khatlon’s Kulob zone will start the cotton-harvesting campaign by September 1, while farmers in the Sughd province and districts subordinate to the center (RRPs) are expected to launch the campaign on September 10.

Saidov expressed confidence that average cotton yields this year would be 2 tons per one hectare despite this year’s unfavorable weather conditions.  The researcher expects farmers to yield some 300,000 tons of raw cotton this year while national target for this year has been determined at 350,000 tons of cotton.

“This year, farmers have planted cotton on 173,600 hectares and average cotton yields are planned to be 2.2 tons/ha; however, bad weather conditions, shortage of agricultural machines and fertilizers as well as non-observance of requirements of farming techniques will not allow fulfilling this year’s target,” said Saidov, “According to the most optimistic prognosis, farmers will have harvests at the rate of not more than 1.9-2 tons per hectare if there are more warm days in the autumn.”