OREANDA-NEWS. August 23, 2010.  The caravans of trucks and tractors with trailers loaded with ‘white gold’ delivered the first tons of the 2010 cotton harvest to the receiving points of the Ak Altyn State Trading Enterprise throughout the country.

On the early morning the ginneries in Ruhabat in Ahal Velayat, Sayat in Lebap Velayat and Mary in Mary Velayat received the caravans of trucks loaded with cotton– Ak Kerven symbolizing the start of the cotton picking campaign.

Over 600 John Deer and Case cotton harvesters are engaged in the cotton picking campaign this year. Every day over 2,630 trucks, 2,280 tractors and 3,240 trailers will carry dozens of thousands tons of cotton. The brigades that maintain and repair machines and equipment ensure the uninterrupted operation of the cotton picking conveyer. All necessary conditions were created for effective work and recreation of machine operators, drivers and agricultural workers.

According to the Turkmenpagta State Concern, this year’s ‘white gold’ harvest will be delivered to 153 receiving points and processed at 35 ginneries. The laboratories of the Turkmenstandartlary State Service opened at the receiving points and plants test the quality of cotton that is received in presence of specialists of the Ak Altyn State Trading Enterprise and cotton growers.

The accounts with cotton growers will be settled at the local branches of Dayhanbank.

The majority of fields throughout the country are sown with the local cotton varieties including middle-fibre varieties Yoloten-7, Yoloten-19, Ash-36C, 133, 149F, C-4727, C-2606, Dashoguz-120 and Serdar and fine-fibre varieties 9871-Yo, 9946-Yo, Yoloten-14 and Yoloten-32 that give rich crops under climatic and soil conditions of different regions.

Currently, cotton fields are being prepared for defoliation.

The public organisations of the Galkynysh National Movement jointly with the Dayhanbank State Commercial Bank, the Turkmenobahyzmat Association, Turkmenpagta State Concern and the editorial staff of the newspapers Galkynysn, Nesil and Bereketli Toprak announced the contest to encourage tenants, farmers, cotton growers, machine-operators and drivers achieved the best results in the 2010 cotton picking campaign.

The expositions of agricultural products and equipment were arranged to mark the arrival of the first ‘white caravans’ to the receiving points. Local artists, singers, dance and folk groups performed the concerts in the regions. The best cotton growers received valuable presents.