Tajikistan Targets 400,000 Tonnes of Raw Cotton as Harvest Begins
Tajikistan has started harvesting cotton across 180,000 hectares, with farmers targeting 400,000 tonnes of raw cotton by the end of autumn. The crop will supply domestic textile plants after drying, cleaning and industrial processing.
Harvest begins in Khatlon
Tajikistan has opened its cotton harvest season, with farmers in the Khatlon region the first to begin fieldwork. The campaign covers 180,000 hectares nationwide and is expected to continue until November, according to MIR 24.
Farmers plan to collect 400,000 tonnes of raw cotton by the end of autumn. The target makes the harvest an important test for the country’s agricultural sector and for textile manufacturers that depend on a steady supply of domestically grown fibre.
Picking remains labour-intensive. Begam Umarov, who has led a cotton-growing team for more than ten years, told MIR 24 that his group includes over 70 people and gathers cotton twice a day. Umarov himself collects as much as 50 kilograms of raw cotton per day.
Local varieties and initial processing
At a farm in the Dusti district, cotton occupies 350 hectares. The operation grows two varieties, Flash and Maya, with farmers preferring Maya because it is well adapted to local climatic conditions and offers high yields and good fibre quality.
Once picked, the raw cotton is moved directly to dedicated storage buildings. It remains there for three days while it is dried and cleared of foreign material. This initial handling is necessary before the crop can enter industrial processing.
The cotton then moves to a processing plant. The finished raw material is accumulated into large lots and subsequently delivered to textile manufacturers. This sequence connects the field campaign directly with Tajikistan’s domestic spinning and textile supply chain.
Feedstock target for textile plants
The planned volume of 400,000 tonnes refers to raw cotton rather than processed lint. The quantity ultimately available to textile companies will therefore depend on the results of drying, cleaning and subsequent plant processing. Fibre quality will also influence which textile applications the crop can serve.
For domestic processors, the timing and execution of the harvest will determine the availability of feedstock after November. A strong campaign would provide local factories with the raw material needed for production, while the formation of large commercial lots creates the basis for coordinated deliveries to textile enterprises. Farmers are aiming to complete the season with solid results and meet the requirements of domestic industry.
