BAKU, Azerbaijan, Oct. 5
By Klavdiya Romakayeva - Trend:
Uzbekistan, Silverleafe Capital Partners LLC US investment management firm, and Indorama yarn manufacturer in Singapore discuss practical aspects of further expansion of the cotton cluster by organizing the production of textile products with high added value on orders from leading foreign brands in Uzbekistan, Trend reports citing uzdaily.uz.
The topic was discussed by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan Sardor Umurzakov via video conference with the founder of Silverleafe International William D. Patterson, and CEO of Indorama Aloke Lohia.
The parties considered the issues of the current activities of the cotton cluster operating in the Pakhtakor district of the Jizzakh region, where for the first time in Uzbekistan a cycle of growing and picking cotton with full mechanization of the process and the introduction of water-saving technologies.
At the moment, 125 units of advanced agricultural machinery are used on the territory of the cluster with an area of 11,700 hectares and the Pulsar system is functioning, which significantly reduces water consumption and increases yields by 20 percent.
In addition, practical aspects of further expansion of the cluster were discussed by organizing the production of textile products with high added value on orders from leading foreign brands, for which the company is already introducing high social and environmental standards of doing business in Uzbekistan.
During the negotiations, the parties agreed on further steps to accelerate the implementation of Indorama's investment programs in Uzbekistan
The issues of the current cotton harvesting campaign were raised as well. It was noted that at this stage 32,000 pickers were involved in picking cotton on an individual contract basis, and all data is recorded for a subsequent audit of all cotton picking processes with the involvement of international human rights organizations.
In the near future, the company plans to switch to fully mechanized cotton picking using special equipment, which will allow harvesting the current crop in a short time. According to the leadership of Indorama, the practical implementation of modern international standards in cotton production is one of the most important factors that create opportunities for cooperation with foreign brands.
Following the negotiations, foreign investors were guaranteed comprehensive support in the implementation of ongoing projects and in resolving emerging issues.
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