Azernews.Az

By Leman Mammadova

Cotton growing can give serious impetus to the development of light industry in the country. The development of cotton growing is of particular importance for the permanent employment of the rural population, and the strengthening of the livestock breeding base.

This year, Azerbaijan expects the highest cotton harvest since 1991.

The cotton harvesting started on September 24, and over 255,000 tons of cotton were delivered to cotton-picking stations over the past five weeks. This is 68,000 tons more compared to the same period last year and 23,000 tons more than in the end of 2018.

In 2019, most of cotton harvest was recorded in Saatli (13,741 ha), Agjabadi (10,452 ha), Bilasuvar (10,257 ha), Barda (10,140 ha) and Beylagan (9,706 ha). All account for 144,185 tons of cotton harvest.

As for today, cotton has been planted on 100,111 hectares in 20 regions across the country. The area of cotton fields was reduced by 32,401 hectares compared to 2018, but the average yield was increased. In 2018, the average cotton yield was 17.6 c/ha, however it up to 7.5 c/ha and reached 25.5 centner in October 2019.

The high productivity is due to proper compliance with the rules of agro-technical maintenance, high level of fertilizer provision and harvesting by technique without loss.

The cotton harvest is already at the final stage. The first part of harvest is nearing completion, and the second one is completed by 50 percent.

In early 2017, the State Program for 2017-2022 was approved with an aim of strengthening measures directed at developing this sphere. The purpose of the State Program is to develop cotton growing, increase export potential in this sphere, ensure employment of the rural population and increase the production of cotton.

The new goal of the state is to bring the cotton production up to 500,000 tons by 2022 from the current 260,000 tons.

There is a rich tradition and great potential for the development of cotton growing in Azerbaijan. In early 1913, cotton was planted in over 100,000 hectares of land and 65,000 tons of crops were produced in Azerbaijan. Cotton was the main source of income in Shirvan, Mughan-Salyan and Mil-Karabakh. In the 1980s, cotton production in Azerbaijan decreased due to the low purchasing price of crude cotton in the world market, the high cost of the product, and the weak development of the domestic light industry.