DUSHANBE, September 28, 2011, Asia-Plus -- The country’s cotton growers are taking real measures to gather a valuable textile raw material [cotton] on time and fulfill the national target, which has been determined at 390,000 tons of cotton.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), cotton growers of Khatlon province have yielded 179,717 tons of cotton to the state so far, which is nearly 70 percent of the target.

Cotton producing farms in districts subordinate to the center (Vahdat district and Hisor Valley) have yielded 16,496 tons of raw cotton by September 28, which is 68 percent of the target.

Cotton producing districts in the northern Sughd province have gathered 53,711 tons of a valuable textile raw material to this day, which is 51 percent of the target.

The republic has yielded some 250,000 tons of cotton by September 28, which comprises more than 64 percent of this year''s target.

Last year, Tajikistan yielded 310,513 tons of raw cotton from 160,400 hectares, which was 10,500 tons more than it was originally planned and 3.2 percent (13,500 tons) more than in 2009.

Cotton makes an important contribution to both the agricultural sector and the national economy.  Cotton accounts for 60 percent of agricultural output, supports 75 percent of the rural population, and uses 45 percent of irrigated arable land.  At the national level, it is an important source of both export earnings and tax revenue.  Cotton fiber accounts for some 15 percent of Tajikistan’s exports.  Tajikistan is reportedly the world’s fourth largest exporter of cotton, and there is strong demand on international markets for its high quality product.