OREANDA-NEWS. June 24, 2009. Turkmen cotton-growers throughout the country started the cotton campaign. After cotton shoots were received tenant farmers and cotton-growers of the most farms launched the agrotechnical works. In particular, 4,500 cotton cultivators and other necessary equipment are engaged in inter-row cultivation.

Cotton had started to bloom on the early sown fields particularly in Serahs Etrap in Ahal Velayat and Karakum and Tahtabazar Etraps in Mary Velayat. To lay the foundations for the 2009 harvest farmers test the quality of seed stock. The specialists of the Ministry of Agriculture of Turkmenistan and the Turkmenpagta State Concern, the State Service of Seed Growing and Variety Testing, the Cotton-Growing Research Institute and agricultural workers are engaged in approbating cottonseed crops.

Over 120 farms and enterprises in Turkmenistan cultivate the major zone varieties of middle-stapled and fine-stapled cotton. The 80,000-hectare area was allocated for this purpose.

As is known, this season cotton is cultivated in accordance with the soil and climatic conditions of each region. Yoloten-7 and Yoloten-133 middle staple cotton varieties were sown in all the regions except Dashoguz Velayat where 149F, C-4727, Dashoguz-120 and Serdar middle staple varieties were sown. Along with other varieties Lebap and Balkan farmers sowed C-2606 middle staple variety. 9871Y, 9946Y and Yoloten-14 fine staple cotton varieties were sown in Ahal and Mary Velayats where the climatic conditions are most favourable.

The agricultural specialists continue to study the characteristics of each cotton variety under the local conditions in the regions to cultivate high-quality seed stock. In this context it should be noted that the Resolution of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov establishing the payments additional to the state raw cottonseed procurement price creates additional incentives for tenant farmers.

Testing of ‘white gold’ seed crops will be completed by the end of August.