OREANDA-NEWS. January 11, 2011. The well thought-out agricultural policy pursued by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and large-scale reforms initiated by the Turkmen leader to improve the wellbeing of rural people and increase profitability of the agricultural sector brought about significant results in the year 2010, which was rich in remarkable achievements in the domestic agro-industry sector.

The measures to apply progressive market mechanisms, scientific advances and latest technologies in industry, create material incentives for and increase labour efficiency of agricultural workers and flood the domestic market with a wide range of high-quality food products were continued last year.

The agricultural sector in Turkmenistan has the profound potential, which must be implemented fully that are large-scale reforms initiated by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in this sector aimed at. In fact, talking about rich harvests on cotton or wheat fields, abundance of melons, watermelons and gourds or a steady increase in livestock productivity, we mean a result of a huge amount of work done by many rural workers – farmers, machine-operators, tenants, shepherds and people of other rural professions. Their welfare as well as abundance of food products in the country depend on the efficient work of the domestic agro-industry sector as a whole.

Our people have the centuries-old experience in irrigated agriculture and efficient water management and, thanks to Turkmen scientists, innovations in this field. Therefore, an interest in the international forums focusing on these issues, which were held in Turkmenistan in 2010, was so high. These included the international conference on “the Significant Role of the Altyn Asyr Turkmen Lake in Improving the Environmental Situation in the Region”, which was held in the Avaza national tourism zone on March 24-25, and the international forum “A Drop of Water – A Grain of Gold” and the exhibition “World Efficient Water Management Practices and Advanced Technologies”, which were held in the Turkmen capital.

The implementation of the second stage of the ambitious Turkmen Lake Project is continued. The current activities enable to reduce the groundwater level in nearly all irrigated areas throughout the country and thus preserve their fertility. This project of, which is unprecedented in international practice, opens up very impressive prospects for recycling drain waters and using them to irrigate vast expanses in the heart of the Karakum Desert.

In order to fully exploit the potential of the Turkmen Lake as well as maintain soil fertility in oases large-scale reconstruction of main drains and drainage networks in the oases has been launched. 18,900 kilometres of collection networks were cleaned to reduce the groundwater level, rehabilitate saline lands and improve the condition of sown areas in 2010. Widespread adoption of subsurface drainage, one of latest irrigation technologies in this sector, is deemed to be quite promising

By implementing the ambitious projects such as the construction of the Turkmen Lake to reduce the groundwater level and prevent irrigated land degradation and underflooding of natural ecosystems in the neighbourhood, Turkmenistan sets a good example for other countries how to use efficiently the environment and make it more conducive to habitation.

In the era of globalization environmental as well as economic challenges facing the region can be addressed only through concerting efforts. Also, these challenges can be tackled through implementing the initiatives to ensure equitable distribution of water resources in the interests of all countries in the region and mitigate the effects of the Aral Sea crisis put forward by President of Turkmenistan at the sessions of the UN General Assembly.

Another ambitious environmental project is the large-scale planting programme aimed at turning the Turkmen land into a blooming garden. Following the tradition, a number of large-scale tree planting actions were conducted in 2010. During these actions taking place at the foothills of the Kopetdag Mountains, in the Avaza tourism zone, the ceremonies of opening important facilities the President of Turkmenistan plants the first tree thus contributing to the noble, very important mission.

Innovative economic mechanisms developed at the joint of the environmental and tourism sectors substantially promote the progress of the country. Illustrative evidence for that is the Avaza national tourism zone created on the initiative of President of Turkmenistan in a picturesque locality on the Turkmen seaside. Everything is built there in full compliance with modern environmental standards. A major requirement made to builders and designers is to conserve unique nature of this region.

The Wildlife Museum built in 2010 in the vicinities of the Turkmen capital at the picturesque foothills of the Kopetdag Mountains play a critical role in promoting Turkmenistan’s natural wealth. By the way, new facilities wherever they are constructed are equipped with state-of-the-art environmentally friendly technologies and undergo environmental testing.

The Ministry of Nature Protection of Turkmenistan includes the departments of nature conservation operating in each velayat. The Caspekokontrol Service monitors environmental wellbeing of the Caspian Sea and coastal areas. The Ministry of Nature Protection also affiliates 8 nature reserves. They conduct the activities aimed at preserving wildlife habitats and natural areas essential for protection of animals and plants and unique natural landscapes in the country. It should be noted that each of protected natural areas is also a research laboratory that studies natural diversity. As a result of these activities, Turkmen ecologists managed to increase the populations and rehabilitate habitats of many rare animals and plants species.

Scientists of the National Deserts, Flora and Fauna Institute of Turkmenistan conduct research aiming to achieve efficient nature management, increase the capacity of pastures, use surface flows, preserve vegetation, and all these research activities are carried out on a practical basis. Scientists’ recommendations on protection of new transport routes crossing the Karakum Desert from sand drifts play an important role.

From ancient times the Turkmen people live with nature in harmony, and in the epoch of new Revival and fundamental reforms these centuries-old traditions have found a new life. Maintaining a healthy environment at home, Turkmenistan actively contributes to global efforts in this sphere. Out county acceded to the major UN environmental conventions including the Convention on Biodiversity, the Convention to Combat Desertification and the Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and others. In recent years our country has ratified a number of new international documents including the Protocols on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, the Cartagena Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity by joining which Turkmenistan can effectively regulate access to its genetic resources as well as the level of presence of biotechnologies in its agricultural sector. This is vital for implementation of the export potential of the domestic agro-industry sector. Because President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasizes that “competitiveness our agricultural products in global markets is ensured by their high quality and environmental guarantees.”

III International Conference “Turkmen Horses and World Art of Horse Breeding” took place in Ashgabat on April 24-25, 2010. This forum opened up vast opportunities to conduct an in-depth analysis of the centuries-old experience of Turkmen horse breeders, who had created the unique breed of ‘the heavenly horses’ with the unsurpassed qualities.

An event of greater importance for reviving worldwide fame of the unique Ahalteke breed was the founding conference of the International Association of Ahalteke Horse Breeding was conducted on the initiative of President of Turkmenistan in Ashgabat on August 14-15, 2010. This high-level forum brought together experts, horse breeders and scientists from the United States, France, Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Hungary, Lebanon, Turkey, Iran, Estonia, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Connoisseurs of the Ahalteke breed and owners of stud farms united under the banner of the Ashgabat-based International Association.

The aims and objectives of the International Association include provision of assistance to horse breeding centres in registration and monitoring of populations of Ahalteke horses and research activity in this sphere. The newly established organisation is to promote thoroughbred Ahalteke horses in the world arena. Qualitatively new opportunities for horse breeding activity, compilation of the stud-book of Ahalteke horses and preservation and enhancement of best qualities of ‘the heavenly horses’ through using latest methods of DNA analysis are provided.

The authority of the newly established Association is stipulated by the fact that at the founding conference the leader of the Turkmen state was elected Chairman of the Association. The Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov is known as a connoisseur and admirer of beautiful Ahalteke horses, the author of the book “Ahalteke Horses – Our Pride and Glory”. A triumphant return of Ahalteke horses on the word arena of equestrian sport and organisation of international tournaments in Turkmenistan were made possible due to his consistent efforts.

In the epoch of new Revival drastic changes are taking place in the horse breeding sector; the construction of hippodromes and sports facilities in compliance with international standards has been started in each velayat. Through the Turkmen leader’s unceasing concern, current reforms in the country and concerted efforts of admirers of ‘the heavenly horses’ this legendary breed is regaining worldwide fame.

The second meeting of the Elders’ Council of Turkmenistan, at which the agricultural policy priorities and specific plans for the future were formulated, was held on May 14, 2010 in Dashoguz. It is symbolic that during this forum the new Law of Turkmenistan “On Seed Farming” was adopted – in fact, good seeds of new constructive reforms were sown in the fertile soil prepared by drastic changes. The approaches to implementing further the large-scale programmes of rural reforms, development of the agro-industry sector and other important issues were considered at the Elders’ Council meeting.

A day before the event of considerable importance for the domestic agro-industry sector, on May 13, 2010 President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov took part in the ceremony of opening the Turkmen Agricultural Institute in Dashoguz – a new high school, which would train highly qualified specialists for rural areas in line with the aims and objectives of current fundamental reforms in the domestic agro-industry sector.

It is these reforms that have made it possible to open the institutions of postgraduate study and doctoral candidacy at research and higher educational and reach a qualitatively new level of professional training who can be rightfully called the hope of agricultural science. In this regard the work of the core research institutes and the Turkmen Agricultural University, where new specialities were introduced, underwent profound changes. The Farming Research Institute, a number of core research institutes make a substantial contribution to increasing the effectiveness of the domestic agricultural sector, and the active measures are taken to apply research results in industry.

The Research Institute of Gain Crops of the Turkmengallaonumleri Association, which aims its activity at introducing new high-yielding varieties of wheat, rice and other crops resistant to diseases, pests and adapted to local soil and climatic conditions and optimizing seed production in the country, plays an important role. The major vectors of the research activity conducted by the research institution of cotton growing include selection of cotton varieties and cotton seed growing. The research in the livestock sector focuses on an increase in livestock productivity, rationalization and expansion of food supply, introduction of effective methods to control animal diseases through using local herbs and immune medicaments.

Also, Turkmen scientists develop the technologies for the use of science-based norms of application of fertilizers and plant protection substances, progressive irrigation methods – trickle and overhead irrigation. The focus of research is an increase of productive capacity and service life of machinery and equipment, reduction of crop losses due to mechanized harvesting. Thus, agricultural science makes a substantial contribution to development of the agro-industry sector.

In 2010, the events of considerable importance for the domestic food industry included the opening of the Ahal oil mill in Ruhabat Etrap on May 17. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov attended the ceremony of putting the leading enterprise of the sector into operation.

Taking the consistent measures to reduce the share of food imports and manufacture products able to compete with foreign analogues, our country moves forward resolutely along the path of reforms, which ensure the greater effectiveness of the domestic agricultural sector. State-of-the-art equipment and technologies allow the Ahal oil mill to produce hydrogen to hydrogenate oil and manufacture margarine – a new product of Turkmen food industry.

In accordance with the new agricultural policy implemented on the initiative of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, diversification of agricultural production is continued to achieve food security. Given the fact that cultivation of the strategic agricultural crops – wheat and cotton is intensified in the country through increasing consistently a yield per hectare and adopting most efficient farming practices more areas are allocated for other important crops including melons, vegetables, fruits and berries, grapes, production of which will be increased from year to year.

For their unique qualities Turkmen melons and grapes can become a world-renowned Turkmen brands, a business card of our country and the domestic agro-industry in the future. To flood the domestic market with high-quality nutritious products and in the future enhance export of them to foreign markets the projects of modernization of enterprises of the Food Industry Association has been launched. These products are stored in refrigerating plants of the velayat subdivisions of the Miwe Association. By the way, these refrigerating plants will be renovated. It is planned to reconstruct processing enterprises of the Miwe Association in all regions of the country and construct new facilities, which will process agricultural products including melons, watermelons and gourds, meeting modern standards.

During the harvest campaign, which fell on the first half of the summer, the rich harvest of winter grain crops was reaped from wheat fields throughout the country. Once again Turkmen grain growers demonstrated that they were able to guarantee food security to the country. Moreover, they have everything they need for that – vast son areas, state-of-the-art agricultural machinery and equipment, high-quality seeds that allowed laying the firm groundwork for good yields of wheat – the winter crops sowing campaign was carried out in the autumn of 2010 on 860,000-hectare area in a timely manner. Turkmen grain growers expect to reap 1.6 million tons on these wheat fields in 2011. Particular attention is given to production of rice as one of the strategic crops and cultivated in the regions with the most favourable soil and climatic conditions including Dashoguz and Lebap, where ‘pearl grain’ was grown in 18,000-hectare area in 2010.

Current reforms have affected the chain of production of Turkmen bread from seeding to harvesting and grain storage. Particular attention is paid to the development of the seed sector; seed growing farms have been identified; production of high yield seeds has been launched; the measures to apply new more productive varieties in industry have been developed in collaboration with leading research institutes in the country. Varieties bred by Turkmen specialists are widely applied for they are best adapted to local soil and climatic conditions. High yield guests from Stavropol Kray, for example such a variety as Yubileynaya-100, have showed high results in the Turkmen land.

The main task set to the Turkmengallaonumleri Association is to provide the country with the major food products including flour and bakery foods through wheat increasing production, optimizing wheat breeding activity, improving the quality of land treatment activity. Advanced technologies ensure that harvests reaped by farmers will preserve good qualities on the way to our dastarkhan.

The construction of state-of-the-art grain storage and processing complexes, production of finished goods has added a new page to the history of the agro-industry sector. In this respect the year 2010 was particularly significant. The grain elevator with the storage capacity of 30,000 tons as in Dushak settlement, Kaahkha Etrap, the grain elevators with the storage capacity of 50,000 tons each in Altyn Asyr Etrap, Yoloten Etrap in Mary velayat and Ruhubelent Etrap in Dashoguz velayat were put into operation last August.

The construction of the grain elevators and bakery plants supplied with state-of-the-art equipment and technologies were continued throughout the country in 2010. The similar facilities were under construction in Ruhabat Etrap in Ahal Velayat, Serdar Etrap in Balkan Velayat, Gerogly Etrap in Dashoguz Velayat, Mary Etrap in Mary Velayat and Turkmenabat in Lebap Velayat. To date, the construction of the grain elevators with the total storage capacity of 350,000 tons and the mill complexes with the total capacity of 310,000 tons a year supplied with state-of-the-art equipment has been completed.

The industrial complex built in Ruhabat Etarp in Ahal Velayat including the grain elevator with the storage capacity of 100, 000 tons and the flour mill with the capacity of 80,000 tons a year is to be the leading one among these newly built facilities. This enterprise designed to produce 40 tons of bakery products and 48 tons of macaroni a day also houses the shop producing containers and the shopping centre.

On August 10, 2010 President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov held the working meeting focusing on further development of the agricultural sector to consider the priorities for further development of the agro-industry sector and implementation of the tasks assigned to this basic sector of the national economy. The meeting participants considered the progress of current agricultural reform and specified the measures to be taken to increase the effectiveness in all most important sectors of the domestic agricultural industry. The Turkmen leader gave instructions to the high-ranking officials of the ministries and sectoral agencies to employ the existing research and technological potential of the sector, innovations and best international practices more effectively to promote rural development programmes.

The effectiveness of the measures taken and a qualitatively new level of efficiency of the domestic agricultural sector were proved by the cotton picking campaign, which started late summer. This important agricultural campaign held in a timely manner was quite successful.

Turkmen cotton growers to meet their contractual obligations and picked 1.3 million tons in 2010. This is the incontestable victory of Turkmen farmers, a visible outcome of the large-scale agricultural reform. The zoning principle when cotton fields were reallocated in line with soil and climatic conditions of each region of the country contributed significantly to increasing the effectiveness of the cotton growing sector.

Modernization of the industry, ginneries was continued; receiving points and storehouses to store lint cotton, seed and cake were built; special equipment and machines were purchased to strengthen the material and technical basis of the Turkmenpagta State Concern.

The reforms launched in the sector are particularly aimed in increasing farmers’ concern for the results of their labour. During the years of reforms the prices for raw cotton have been raised, the new payment system has been introduced allowing rural workers to receive payment for cotton they grew under contracts nearly immediately without waiting until cotton is processed and sold. Today, the income received from growing cotton constitutes a major portion of a growing welfare of rural workers in Turkmenistan. Therefore, those willing to grow this strategic crop, especially to grow seed cotton varieties that is quite laborious, but most profitable, increase in number.

The establishment of the Ak Altyn procurement enterprise under the Turkmenpagta State Concern allowed increasing the effectiveness of this work. This enterprise sells cotton grown by farmers and ensures that accounts with cotton growers are settled in a timely manner. The most valuable product manufactured at ginneries of the Turkmenpagta State Concern manufacture is ginned cotton – the major raw material for the domestic textile industry and Turkmenistan’s staple export supplied to foreign market. Today Turkmenistan exports cotton to China, Russia, Ukraine, England, Korea, Turkey, Iran, Indonesia, Singapore, Latvia, Lithuania and other countries.

The Baghir water storage basin was put into operation in October 2010 before the celebrations in honour of the 19th anniversary of Turkmenistan independence. The facility located at the foothills of the Kopetdag Mountains is to collect mud flows and then use them to irrigate hundreds of hectares of areas under crops. Advanced technologies were applied to build this water storage basin; its bottom is faced with waterproof material geotextile, and the slopes of the dam are faced with water-resistant concrete. The construction of water storage facilities of this kind at the foothills of the Kopetdag Mountains will be continued.

In 2010 the subdivisions of the Ministry of Water Industry carried out the large-scale work to clean the beds of canals of the Karakum River to ensure reliable and steady irrigation water supply to agricultural fields and optimize reclamation work on irrigated areas. These objectives are achieved through expansion of the capacity of existing water storage basins and construction of new water storage facilities. To fulfil this priority task the work was carried out to increase the capacity of the network of water storage basins including the Saryyaz and the 15 years of Independence. The project to increase the capacity of the Hauzhan water storage reservoir up to 800 million cubic metres has been launched.

The reforms launched in rural areas are comprehensive and systematic. Thus, the measures were taken to reclamate lands, control salinization and soil degradation, optimize the activity of the water industry that plays a significant role in supplying life-giving water to agricultural fields. Water resources of the country are formed from the large water arteries including the Amu Darya River, the Murghab River, the Tejen River, the Atrek River and dozens of mountain.

Fertile land is a wealth of Turkmen farmers. To preserve fertility of irrigated lands and to develop thousands of hectares of new lands are the major tasks set to the Yersuvgurlushik enterprise established within the Ministry of Water Industry of Turkmenistan during the years of independence. The enterprise use state-of-the-art earth-moving equipment and machines to carry out a wide range of land-reclamation activities that result in raising the level of crop yield and increasing the effectiveness of the agro-industry sector.

Through adopting advanced technologies in the water industry and other branches of the agro-industry sector the main asst of the Turkmen land – its fertility is preserved. The measures to introduce science-based crop rotation includes alfalfa which enriches the soil with nutrients serve this purpose. The domestic enterprises producing fertilizers effectively operate; a number of new important projects have been launched in this sphere. The advances of Turkmen science are widely applied in industry to increase the yield per hectare.

In order to facilitate diversification of the agro-industry sector and increase in the fertility of the soil the areas under fodder crops are expanded that will have a positive impact on the effectiveness of the domestic livestock sector. The reforms taking place in the epoch of new Revival and great changes have been launched in this important sector that produces the major food products such as meat, milk, egg and wool and leather for the light industry.

Livestock continued to grow in 2010 due to the measures taken in the sector to improve the technologies for breeding cattle and poultry, selection and veterinary aid. Thus, in the country there were 16.7 million heads of sheep and goats, 2.2 million heads of cattle, 122,400 heads of camels and 15.9 million heads of poultry. All this had the most positive impact on the volumes of livestock production, which plays a special role in ensuring an abundance of food products in the country. In 2010, meat production increased to 534,400 tons, milk production increased to 2.146 million tons and production of eggs increased to 893 million.

Turkmen private producers play an increasingly significant role in this sector. In a short period they significantly contributed to building the strong poultry industry, flooded the domestic food market with high quality products at affordable prices. A major part of livestock including small livestock are kept at private livestock farms. During the years of independence all taxes on livestock production have been abolished, all restrictions on a number of cattle kept at individual households have been lifted; farmers can use pastures and water free of charge. Lease relations widely spread in farmers associations have produced positive results and enabled shepherds to receive a significant share of newborn animals into the ownership.

In the epoch of new Revival and great reforms modernization has been started at the enterprises affiliated with the Turkmenmallary Association. Today, the Association affiliates 86 livestock farmers associations, including 59 sheep farms. Also, it affiliates the veterinary services and the Turkmenorimeydanlarysuvlandyrysh Production Association in charge of irrigation of pastures and the Research Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Medicine Institute.

Currently, specialists of the Association carry put the work to create the network of enterprises producing high quality products, in particular dairy farms. Through establishment of these specialized enterprises the livestock breeding activity and veterinary aid is organized and managed at a qualitatively new level and production and processing are centralized. The Association affiliates a number of poultry farms, including the largest one in S. A. Niyazov farmers association in Tejen Etrap. In accordance with the Resolution of the President of Turkmenistan “On Further Improvement of Provision the Population of Turkmenistan with Meat, Milk, Eggs and Fish Products” for the period until 2012 the Turkmenmallary Association will put a number of new meat processing plants and dairy factories, livestock and poultry farms into operation. Thus, production of food and other livestock products will be put on an advanced and most effective basis.

The major aspects of the ongoing reform in the agro-industry sector include technology modernisation of the material and technical basis of the agricultural sector, in which more high-powered machines and innovative technologies are used with every passing year. Substantial funds are allocated to raise the technological level of the domestic agro-industry sector.

For the past four years 650 combine harvesters, 1,300 tractors and 2,500 tractor-cultivators, sowing machines and other machinery and equipment have been purchased. Our country has never purchased such a great amount of agricultural machines and equipment before, and these measures will be continued. On November 26, 2010 the Turkmen leader issued the Resolution on the purchase of 270 combine harvesters of three leading brands, which would be distributed among the regions of the country.

The Turkmen leader’s initiative to test machines and equipment of new modifications, which will operate in Turkmenistan, promotes the progress of the sector. Field tests of agricultural machines, certainly, ensure that equipment most adapted to local soil and climatic conditions will be purchased for Turkmenistan. Also, the measures to transfer agricultural machines and equipment to private producers into the ownership so that they can repair them and use on their fields and sell spare parts for this equipment have prove to be effective. Thus private agricultural producers will have their own fleet of agricultural machines. Dealers of leading agricultural equipment producers and the maintenance subdivisions of the Turkmenobahyzmat Association provide assistance to Turkmen farmers in operation and maintenance of equipment. The opening of shops for spare parts and accessories in each velayat of the country was an important step.

The high technological level of rural industry enables to maintain good crop capacity, apply farming techniques in a proper and timely manner and increase the effectiveness of agricultural production. In 2010 the Turkmenobahyzmat Association carried out mechanized operations on vast expanses including over 550,000 hectares of cotton fields, 860,000 hectares of wheat fields, plantations sown with rice, beets, melons, fodder and other crops. The major aspects of the ongoing reforms in this sector include further strengthening of the material and technical basis of enterprises and fundamental improvement of the operating conditions of agricultural machines and equipment.

The agricultural year was concluded with the Harvest Day celebrated traditionally on the last Sunday of November. This holiday symbolizes the bounty and fertility of the Turkmen land and generosity of our sachaks created by farmers’ tireless labour.

... Turkmenistan is a country of age-old culture and rich agricultural traditions, and today the traditions of efficient, respectful attitude towards nature are given a new life; rural workers adopt advanced agricultural technology as well as ancestors’ practices. This holiday, in fact, summed up farmers’ unceasing work in the 2010 year; however the work on fields doesn’t stop for a moment: the groundwork for future rich harvests in the year 2011 is being laid.

The Turkmen leader reiterates that the ultimate goal of current reforms in the country was to improve people’s welfare. In this context the rural development programme elaborated on the initiative of the leader of the Turkmen state and aimed at guaranteeing high social and living conditions to rural people acquires particular significance. Following the example of Esenguly, Ruhubelent, Dovletli and Altyn Sahra, villages and settlements throughout the country, including those in most remote areas, acquires a new look today. roads, digital telephone exchanges, supply systems, new enterprises, social and cultural facilities are being built today, and the construction of comfortable apartment houses with modern conveniences is carried out on an unprecedented scale due to the mortgage lending.

Thus, the year 2010 became for the domestic agro-industry sector the year of great changes and new achievements that is an outcome of large-scale reforms initiated in rural areas by the Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. In 2011, the reforms aimed at increasing the effectiveness and enhancing competitiveness of the domestic agro-industry sector, which are to make the national economy stronger and improve people’s welfare, will be continued so that the profound potential of this important segment of the national economy will be implemented fully in the epoch of new Revival and great changes.