DUSHANBE, September 23, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- Tajikistan has yielded more than 176,000 tons of cotton by September 23, which comprises 32 percent of this year’s target, which has been determined at 550,000 tons of raw cotton, according to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA). 

Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, Narzullo Dadaboyev, a spokesman for a MoA, said that 224,641 people, including 187,709 farmers and 36,932 helpers, have been involved in the cotton-harvesting campaign to this date.  

The country currently yields on average 8,422 tons of cotton per day, according to him.  

The Khatlon province has yielded 138,999 tons of cotton by September 23, which is 41.9 percent of the target. 

Cotton growers in the Sughd province have produced more than 25,693 tons of cotton to this date, which 14.9 percent of their target.  

District subordinate to the center have yielded 12,014 tons of raw cotton by September 23.