TASHKENT: Uzbekistan has reported a significant increase in its raw cotton harvest for 2023, reaching a record 3.8 million tonnes, marking an 8.3% rise compared to the previous year. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev shared this data in his congratulatory address on Agricultural Workers’ Day, as published in the country’s official media.
In his statement, Mirziyoyev highlighted the broader agricultural achievements, stating that the country achieved milestones in various agricultural sectors. This includes producing 8.2 million tonnes of grain, over 15 million tonnes of vegetables and melons, 5 million tonnes of fruits and grapes, 4 million tonnes of potatoes, and 26,000 tonnes of silkworm cocoons.
The president emphasized the ongoing reforms in Uzbekistan’s agriculture sector, focusing on efficient water and land resource utilization, the integration of new technologies, and the enhancement of the agro-industrial complex’s material, technical, and human resources.
Uzbekistan’s Initiatives to Increase Soil Fertility
Efforts to combat desertification, salinity, and land degradation were also noted, along with initiatives to increase soil fertility. Mirziyoyev highlighted the use of water-saving technologies on 500,000 hectares and improved water supply on nearly 1 million hectares of land. An additional 100,000 hectares of land were brought into circulation, supporting food security and price stability.
Reducing production costs through resource-saving technologies, expanding water-saving technologies to 1.5 million hectares, promoting high-yielding crop varieties, and increasing breeding livestock were emphasized as critical elements in Uzbekistan’s agricultural strategy.
Uzbekistan, ranking sixth globally in cotton production after China, India, the USA, Pakistan, and Brazil, has undergone notable changes in its cotton industry, transitioning from exporting raw cotton to implementing a cluster system that covers the entire production chain, from cultivation to the release of finished goods.
