DUSHANBE, October 4, Asia-Plus - The government and futures companies plan to raise wage of cotton farmers. 

Deputy Agriculture Minister Qodir Qosimov said that the government and businesses should meet this week to discuss the progress of the cotton-picking campaign and consider ways to raise the wages of cotton farmers. 

One of reasons the cotton harvest has been slow starting is the low price of cotton.  Futures companies have set expected cotton prices at from 0.10 to 0.15 somoni per kilogram, depending of the type of cotton.

He added that the cotton harvest is satisfactory and Tajikistan has reached more than 55 percent of the national target so far. 

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Tajikistan has yielded 302,300 tons of cotton by October 3, which is 55.3 percent of the national target, which has been set at 547,000 tons.  Cotton farmers daily gather on average 7,800 tons of cotton, 1.4 percent of the target. 

”The only thing that may impede the cotton harvesting campaign is delays in supplying fuel and paying wages of cotton farmers,” the official said, adding that investors hope to resolve the fuel problems. 

In the meantime, the cotton harvest in southern Tajikistan is in full swing.  Cotton-growing farms in Khatlon have yielded 184,073 tons of cotton so far.  They have pledged to produce 329,000 tons of cotton this year. The farming unit named after Rahbar Qosimov is the Kulob district of Khatlon is first in the province to full its plan of 195 tons and is continuing to gather cotton in addition to its obligation. 

According to the State Committee for Statistics, Sughd province has yielded 80,200 tons of cotton by October 3, which is 46.8 percent of its target determined at 171,300 tons. 

Cotton growing-farms districts subordinate to the center (central Tajikistan) have gathered 38,000 tons of cotton or 81.4 percent of the target by October 3.   Their target is 46,700 tons of cotton.