Experts have warned that the cotton industry in Tajikistan may suffer badly and it could have deadly effect on country's economy since cotton has 10 percent share in the total Tajik export.
Even the revised harvest target of 60,000 ton set by the Government may not be achieved even though the Government is doing everything in its kitty to match the same.
Cotton growers are facing the problem of direct financing with 90 percent of 11,000 cotton farms in debt to middlemen. It is a vicious circle with middlemen turning to future companies, which give loan at a manipulative rate and they turn to foreign investors.
It is estimated that the total debt owed to future companies may be in the tune of US $300 million dollars which is equal to three-forth of the Government budget.
Some other factors that have contributed to the agony are the declining land for cotton cultivation and the influx of locusts in summer which destroyed the cotton crop in many areas.
Shortage of fuel and lubricants which culminated in the price hike has worsened the situation further and Tajik agriculture Ministry has acknowledged that investors in the cotton industry were not in a position to supply fuel adequately.
All the above factors have led to decrease in the production as the country produces 1.5 to 1.6 ton of cotton per hectare on average which experts describe as below the minimum 2 hectare farmers must have to register any kind of profit.
-Ltd..jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Thermore (Far East) Ltd.")
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited (TSllC Ltd)")
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF)")
