OREANDA-NEWS. Cotton growers in Ahal, Balkan, Lebap and Mary Velayats started the cotton picking campaign in Turkmenistan. Agricultural workers in Dashoguz Velayat will join them on September 7.

The festive atmosphere reigned in the receiving points and gunneries in Geoktepe Etrap in Ahal Velayat, Serdar Etrap in Balkan Velayat, Serdarabat Etrap in Lebap Velayat and Garagum Etrap in Mary Velayat since early morning. The caravans of trucks and tractors with trailers deliver 'white gold' to the receiving points of the country.

The heads of velayat and etrap khyakimliks, subdivisions of the Turkmenpagta and Turkmenhimiya State Concerns, the Turkmenobahyzmat State Association, Turkmenstandartlary Main State Service, Dayhanbank State Commercial Bank, peasant associations as well as representatives of public organizations and sectoral scientific and research institutions, leading agricultural workers, combine operators, drivers and cotton growers took part in the festivities to mark the start of the cotton picking campaign.

The exposition of agricultural equipment, agricultural and cotton products, the gods of the processing and textile industries were arranged within the framework of the festive celebrations. Valuable presents were awarded to the best cotton growers during the festive ceremony.

Cotton growers in Ahal, Balkan, Lebap and Mary Velayats are planning to pick up over 1,050,000 tons of ‘white gold’ on 550,000 hectares sown with cotton this year. In particular - 205,000 tons of cotton in Ahal Velayat, 230,000 - in Dashoguz, 300,000 - in Lebap Velayat, 310,000 - in Mary Velayat and 5,000 tons in Balkan Velayat. Cotton growers paid particular attention to the soil and climatic conditions of each region. Thus, Yoloten-7, 133, C-2606 cotton varieties were sown in Ahal, Lebap, Balkan and Mary Velayats. Cotton growers in Ahal and Mary Velayats pick up 9871-E, Yoloten-14 and other cotton varieties.

According to the Turkmenobahyzmat Association, over 540 cotton harvesting combiners, 2,530 trucks, 2,412 tractors and 3,611 trailers to deliver cotton to the receiving points are engaged in the campaign. The twenty-four-hour technical and service maintenance centers are opened in the fields and all necessary conditions for efficient work and good rest of machine operators, drivers and cotton growers are created there.

Defoliant was purchased for processing cotton prior to the machine harvesting. as always, tractors and special civil aviation aircrafts will be engaged in the defoliation process.

This year's cotton harvest will be delivered to 159 receiving points and 39 gunneries in the country. At the presence of the representatives of the Ak Altyn State Cotton Trade Enterprise and cotton growers, the specialists of the Turkmenstandartlary State Service will ensure the quality control over the raw cotton delivered to the receiving points.

Last year, the cotton growers in the country fulfilled their contractual obligations having delivered over 1,110,000 tons of raw cotton to the receiving points. That vividly testifies to the successful implementation of the economic strategy on comprehensive development of the agroindustrial complex of the country. Cotton is a very important culture of the Turkmen agriculture that is exported to many countries all around the world and serve as a raw material for dozens modern enterprises of the national textile industry of Turkmenistan.