OREANDA-NEWS. March 16, 2010. Cotton growers of Turkmenistan have launched this year’s cotton-sowing campaign. This year 550,000 hectares will be sown with this strategic crop for Turkmenistan’s agricultural sector. It is planned to produce 1.5 million tons.

As is known, considerable attention is directed towards developing cotton growing as a priority and very promising industry of the agro-industry sector in the framework of the large-scale agricultural reform initiated throughout the country by President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. During the working trip to Ahal Velayat the Turkmen leader instructed the heads of the agricultural ministries and departments to take all necessary measures to ensure the cotton sowing campaign in a properly and timely manner that had a direct impact on future harvests. During the recent government meeting the Turkmen leader instructed Vice Premiers T. Japarov and M. Akmammedov to submit the statistics reports on the cotton sowing campaign starting from March 17.

The preparatory work was carried out in all the cotton growing associations of the country. Agricultural workers ploughed up and graded lands in a proper manner for sowing the valuable industrial crop and stored 66,000 tons of high-quality seed grain. John Deere, Case, Belarus-1221, MTZ-80X tractors, sowing machines and other equipment were prepared for the sowing campaign.

On the eve of the cotton sowing campaign the seminars were conducted for the heads and specialists of the velayat and etrap khyakimliks, the subdivisions of the Turkmenpagta State Concern, the Turkmenobahyzmat Association, agricultural joint stock companies, machine operators and farmers in Ahal, Balkan, Lebap and Mary Velayats. The participants discussed the sowing campaign plan and the schedule of agricultural works and the reports presented by the agricultural scientists and well-experienced cotton growers. They suggested introducing effective resource-saving environmentally friendly technologies, technological innovations and best international practices.

By tradition the elders blessed the beginning of the sowing campaign. The expositions of modern farming techniques, seeds, mineral fertilizers, agricultural equipment, etc. were arranged in the regions. A similar seminar will be held in the northern region of the country – Dashoguz Velayat on March 17.

Turkmen cotton growers will use efficiently every day and hour and work wholeheartedly to conduct the sowing campaign in a timely manner and thus lay the foundation for future ‘white gold’ harvests.