The mass cotton yield in the country was launched. 22,500 tons of raw cotton were harvested by 5 September and sold to the cotton-processing plants, which is two times more of the same period of the last year, the Ministry of Agriculture told Trend.
One of the basic factors affecting the growth of the harvesting is the increase of the sown area under cotton for 34,800 hectares. The process of the cotton harvesting will continue till mid-November.
On the whole, in 2005 the cotton was sown on 112, 900 hectares in the country’s agricultural regions. The largest sowing works during this season were carried out in Saatli, Sabirabad, Agdjabedi, Beylagan Bilyasuvar, Imishli, Neftchala, Barda and other regions. “MCT” Open Joint Stock Company (OJSC) sown cotton on the area of 65,000 hectares, OJSC “Sheki-Ipek” вЂ" on about 40,000 hectares.
On other areas sowing works were carried out by the Swiss В"ЪекоС'В" company and JSCs from Agdam and Kyurdamir.
Earlier during his meeting with the media the Minister of Agriculture of Azerbaijan Ismet Abbasov said, the harvesting of 185,000 tons of cotton is expected this year. It is for 50 tons more of the same period of the last year.
Last year the cotton was sown on 78,100 hectares and during the harvesting about 135,000 tons of cotton were yielded and sent to the processing enterprises. It is for 33,200 tons or by 35,8 % more of the 2003 figure.