OREANDA-NEWS. August 26, 2011.    The important agricultural campaign has been launched in Turkmenistan this week. As is known, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov set the dates of the cotton picking campaign at the recent meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers. So, farmers in Ahal, Balkan, Lebap and Mary Velayat started to pick cotton with the blessing of the President on August 24. In Dashoguz Velayat the cotton picking will be launched on August 31.

In the year of the glorious 20th anniversary of sacred independence of the Motherland Turkmen cotton growers, who have grown a rich harvest, thoroughly prepared for this very important agricultural campaign. Having launched the campaign with great enthusiasm, they intend to pick the harvest without loss. Cotton growers are planning to pick 1.05 million tons of cotton on the 550,000-hectare area.

As is known, the Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov pays close attention to the issues related to holding the cotton picking campaign in a proper and timely manner. Discussing the priority state policy issues, including the tasks set to the agro-industrial sector, at the recent government meeting and during the video conference conducted early this week, the President focused once again on importance of picking ‘white gold’ in a proper and timely manner.


In the epoch of new Revival and great reforms initiated by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov effective steps are taken towards sustainable development of the agricultural sector, including the cotton sector. Tremendous significance is attached to increasing production of cotton as one of the export oriented products through breeding new varieties and cultivating them in appropriate soil and climatic conditions and meeting agro-technical standards. Thus, cultivation of cotton on a regular basis increases the rate of return of the agricultural sector of the national economy as well as raise income of Turkmen farmers.

The tasks to breed, distribute and use new rathe, high-yielding, deciduous, drought-enduring and disease-resistant varieties of cotton in industry and improve the properties of this strategic agricultural crop are set to the Cotton Growing Research Institute affiliated with the Ministry of Agriculture. 37 specialized seed growing associations established in accordance with the Resolution of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov cultivate elite varieties of cotton and grain crops. Currently, about 30 stratified cotton early ripening, high-yielding varieties with high-quality fibre have been included the State Register.

Given the soil and climatic characteristics of each region, cotton growers in all regions, except Dashoguz, sow the middle staple cotton variety 133. Also, farmers in Ahal, Lebap and Mary Velayat prefer the middle staple variety such as Yoloten-7, and farmers in Dashoguz Velayat cultivate such varieties as Dashoguz-120, Dashoguz-114, 149F, P-4727 and Serdar. The middle staple variety C-2606 are cultivated along with other varieties on fields in Balkan and Lebap Velayat. The fine staple cotton varieties such as 9871-I, Yoloten-14, Yoloten-32 are cultivated in Ahal and Mary Velayat.

The Government makes regular purchases of purchases various machines and vehicles, including tractors, trucks and trailers to strengthen the material base of the cotton industry. In accordance with the Resolution of the President of Turkmenistan the Turkmenpagta State Concern purchased a consignment of agricultural equipment and machines, including 500 Belarus-82.1 tractors produced at the Minsk Tractor Plant Unitary Enterprise of the Republic of Belarus and 1,000 2PTS-4-793A-03A trailers produced by the Tashkent Tractor Plant Joint Stock Company of the Republic of Uzbekistan, which have showed good performance in soil and climatic conditions of Turkmenistan, in the first half of this year.

Cotton procurement stations have been built in Ak Bugday and Geokdepe etrap in Ahal Velayat, Sakar etrap in Lebap Velayat and Vekilbazar Etrap in Mary Velayat by this year’s cotton picking campaign. The construction of these stations was financed by the Turkmenpagta State Concern. The establishment of new types of industrial and economic relations has made it possible to conclude the contracts between agricultural producers and farmers associations that provided for the coverage of all expenses for maintenance, seeds, mineral fertilizers and irrigation water according to agro-technical standards and set the state procurement price for cotton. Agricultural producers enjoy benefits on services of all types. All these improvements are to promote the interests of farmers as well as the state – to build economic relations between them to ensure transparency, balance and mutual benefit and eventually become a powerful impetus to modernize the cotton sector.

The priorities for development of the agricultural sector include optimization of economic relations in rural areas and development of an optimal mechanism for settling accounts with cotton producers. In accordance with the Resolutions of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov the procurement prices for middle and fine staple cotton and seeds of high-yielding cotton varieties are increased on a regular basis.

After the cotton picking campaign starts in the country, the Ak Altyn Trading Enterprise, which purchases and sells raw cotton grown Turkmenistan, provides the lines of credit at the Daykhanbank to ensure that farmers are paid in a timely manner for the harvest they have picked. Also, the trading enterprise concludes contracts with companies specializing in production and processing of agricultural products ND and sells cotton via the State Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange to consumers in Turkmenistan and in the countries where cotton fibre is in high demand, including Russia, Turkey, Egypt, Latvia, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and others.

Raw cotton is delivered to 157 receiving points and processed at 36 ginneries throughout the country every year. The cotton testing process is monitored by specialists of the cotton procurement station. The tests are carried out in the laboratories at the receiving points and ginneries by specialists of the Turkmenstandartlary State Service. They issue the certificates of quality for cotton products produced at the ginneries of the country.

In November of the anniversary year Ashgabat will host I International Cotton Fair. The major aim of the forum to be held on the initiative of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov is to establish and expand long-term cooperation with international organisations and companies and cotton fibre consumers, inform customers of the quality characteristics of Turkmen cotton, present achievements and prospects for development of the Turkmen cotton sector, including cotton processing and manufacture of cotton products, and study the issues regarding trading activity and logistics services.

The forum will provide specialists of the cotton processing, textile and food industries and the trade sector with a splendid opportunity to learn about latest engineering solutions, scientific advances and progressive manufacturing technologies and see finished products.

The Turkmenobahyzmat Association intends to engage 600 combine harvesters, including high-powered John Deere and Case cotton pickers and other equipment in this year’s cotton picking campaign. Maintenance services to be provided round the clock and the favourable conditions created for productive work and recreation of machine-operators, drivers and cotton pickers in all regions of the country will ensure that the cotton picking campaign will be held in timely and proper manner. The central agencies of the public organisations of the Galkynys National Movement, the Turkmenobahyzmat Association, the Dayhanbank State Commercial Bank, the Turkmenpagta State Concern and the national newspapers including Galkynys, Nesil and Bereketli Toprak have announced the contest which will offer new incentives to work with enthusiasm for cotton growers, water industry workers, farmers, machine-operators and drivers in the 2011 cotton picking campaign.

Defoliant that will be used before mechanical harvesting operations are carried out has been purchased in sufficient amount. As usual, tractors and civil aircrafts will be engaged in spreading defoliant on cotton fields.

Following the tradition, the seminars, which brought together high-ranking officials of velayat and etrap khyakimliks, the subdivisions of the Turkmenpagta State Concern and the Turkmenhimiya State Concern, the Turkmenobahyzmat Association, the Turkmenstandartlary State Service, the State Commercial Bank Dayhanbank, farmers associations and public organisations of the Galkynys National Movement, research institutes, the elders, agricultural workers, agricultural scientists, agronomists, combine operators, drivers and cotton growers, were held at the receiving points and ginneries in Geoktepe Etrap in Ahal Velayat, Serdar Etrap in Balkan Velayat, Sakar Etrap in Lebap Velayat and Karakum Etrap in Mary Velayat.

Those speaking at the seminars expressed profound gratitude to President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for his tireless efforts to develop rural areas, create the favourable conditions of live, work and recreation for agricultural workers and promote the large-scale reforms in the agricultural sector aimed at achieving food security. The seminar participants assured the Turkmen leader that they would apply every effort, knowledge and experience to achieve prosperity for the Motherland.

The seminar agenda focused on the issues related to promoting the agricultural reform oriented towards dynamic development and high profitability of the agro-industrial sector, steadily increasing agricultural production and holding the cotton picking campaign in a timely manner. In particular, the participants emphasized that all necessary measures should be taken to ensure that agricultural operations would be carried out round the clock and the favourable working conditions would be created for combine operators, drivers and other participants of this important agricultural campaign.

After the seminars were concluded, the elders offered up the prayers for wellbeing and prosperity of our Motherland, the Turkmen people and blessed the start of ‘white caravans’, which symbolized the launch of the cotton picking campaign, with the words “Harmanynyza bereket!” Camels loaded with packs (chuval) with cotton and accompanied by dzhigits riding Ahalteke horses as an illustration of the centuries-old history of cultivation of cotton by the Turkmen people led the ‘white caravans’.

Then vehicles and tractors with trailers loaded up to the top with ‘white gold and decorated with the flags, carpets and banners headed for the receiving points.

The expositions of agricultural and cotton products, agricultural equipment and machines, textiles and artefacts from the local museum collections were arranged to mark the remarkable event – the launch of the cotton picking campaign. Local artists, singers, dance and folk groups performed a concert. The competitions in national sports and the ceremonies of awarding best cotton growers, who received valuable presents, were arranged.

So, the receiving points and ginneries throughout the country have been opened to receive the first tons of cotton harvested this year.