DUSHANBE, November 12, 2015, Asia-Plus – Despite the recent rainy weather, Tajik farming units are taking measures to gather cotton on time.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), the country’s cotton growing districts have yielded more than 308,000 tons of raw cotton by November 12, which is 77.5 percent of the preliminary forecast.

More than 23,000 people are now engaged in the cotton-harvesting campaign and they currently pick up to 500 tons of raw cotton per day.  

An official source at a MoA says that under the preliminary cotton crop forecast Tajik cotton growing districts are expected to yield 399,000 tons of raw cotton this year.

Cotton growers of the southern Khatlon province have yielded about 230,000 tons for raw cotton by November 12 (83.6 percent of the target).  The Sughd cotton growing districts have yielded more than 72,000 tons of raw cotton by November 12 (64.6 percent of the target), and the cotton growing districts subordinate to the center have yielded more than 6,400 tons of raw cotton by November 12 (58.4 percent of the target).

This year, Tajik farmers have planted cotton on nearly 180,000 hectares.

Last year, Tajik cotton growers produced nearly 399,000 tons of raw cotton from 178,000 hectares.