DUSHANBE , May 11, Asia-Plus - Farming units in Tajikistan have completed a cotton-sowing campaign, Deputy Agriculture Minister, Qodir Qosimov, said today.

According to him, farmers have re-sown cotton in the areas of totaling 3,000 hectares that were damaged by recent heavy rainfalls and mudslides.  He also reminded that last year the cotton-growing farmers re-sown cotton in the areas of totaling more than 30,000 hectares.  

This year, more than 258,000 hectares of lands have been sown with cotton, which is 38,000 hectares fewer than last year.  

We will recall that this year’s national target of cotton has been determined at 550,000 tons, which is 60,000 tons fewer than in 2005.  Last year, Tajik cotton growers yielded some 448,000 tons of cotton, which 19.6 percent or 109,069 tons fewer compared to 2004.