Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Aug. 26 / Trend H.Hasanov /
Turkmen farmers began harvesting cotton and launching the campaign simultaneously in Akhal, Balkan, Lebap, and Mary provinces. Cotton harvesting in the Dashoguz province will begin on Aug. 31.
Some 550,000 hectares of land have been allocated for cotton in 2011. While sowing, special emphasis is placed on each region's soil and climatic characteristics. It is expected that this year farmers will collect 1.050 tons of cotton.
"Great importance is attached to increasing cotton production as one of the export-oriented products by creating high-yielding varieties, their sowing, taking into account soil and climatic conditions, and complying with the necessary agro-technical standards".
The Turkmen state register recorded about 30 recognized varieties of cotton which differ based on precocity, yield, and fiber quality.
The majority of fields throughout the country have been sown with the local cotton varieties, including the medium fiber varieties Yoloten-7, С 4727, 149F, Dashoguz-120, and Serdar; and the fine fiber varieties 9871-Yo, 9946-Yo, Yoloten-14, and Yoloten-32 that yield rich crops under different regions' varying climatic and soil conditions.
A new consignment of agricultural machines were delivered, the first of which went to Tukmenpagta State Concern.
There are 154 tractors and 204 trailers procured in accordance with a resolution by Turkmenistan's president. A total of 500 Belarus-82.1 tractors and 1,000 2PTS-4-793A-03A trailers were delivered in the country in the first half of 2011 under contracts concluded with the Minsk Tractor Works Unitary Enterprise of Belarus and the Tashkent Tractor Plant Joint-Stock Company of Uzbekistan.
The trading company Ak Altyn engaged in the purchase and sale of cotton-fiber, produced in Turkmenistan, opens lines of credit in Dayhanbanke. This company is engaged in signing contracts with producers and processors, as well as in the sale of cotton through the state commodity exchange to domestic consumers and countries, where cotton is in great demand - Russia, Turkey, Egypt, Latvia, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, etc.
Newly harvested raw cotton will be sent to 157 reception centers and processed at 36 of the country's ginneries. The cotton's quality will be monitored by the Main State Service "Turkmenstandartlary" experts.
The first international cotton production exhibition-fair is planned to be held this autumn in Ashgabat. The world demand for cotton fiber and corresponding price trends are constantly being monitored.