Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Sept. 12
By Huseyn Hasanov– Trend:
The cotton harvest has begun in Akhal, Balkan, Lebap and Mary regions of Turkmenistan, Trend reports via local TV channel Altyn Asyr.
Farmers of Dashoguz region, located in the country's north, will begin harvesting on Sept. 18.
Some 550,000 hectares have been allocated for cotton in Turkmenistan this year, and it is planned to collect 1,050,000 tons of raw cotton. For the first time in the country, private producers of agricultural products will start cultivating cotton on 25,567 hectares of land, receiving plots from a special land fund.
In October 2018, President Berdimuhamedov ordered to stop the sale of cotton fiber to foreign countries. Cotton production in Turkmenistan is planned to be increased to 1,250,000 tons next year.
Cotton used to be a significant export item for Turkmenistan and is a demanded raw material for the country’s dynamically developing textile industry.
This industry is represented in the country by a wide export assortment - from cotton fiber and yarn to finished sewing and knitwear, which are produced by the largest complexes in Central Asia located in the capital and in all regions of the country. A significant part of Turkmenistan’s exported products is made up of home textiles, sportswear and jeans.