DUSHANBE, September 2, 2014, Asia-Plus -- By September 1, Tajik cotton growers have yielded some 8,000 tons of raw cotton, which is nearly 3.0 percent of this year’s cotton target, according to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA).

An official source at a MoA says that to-date the cotton-harvesting campaign has been launched in the Bokhtar, Shahritous, Panj and Qubodiyon districts of the southern Khatlon province.

“More than 42,000 people are currently involved in cotton-picking in these districts,” the source said, noting that Tajik farmers have planted cotton on more than 177 hectares this year.

This, year, Tajik cotton growers are expected to yield more than 400,000 tons of raw cotton.

Last year, Tajik cotton growers yielded 395,000 tons of raw cotton from 192,000 hectares.