By Huseyn Hasanov

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov at a government meeting heard a report on preparation for cotton harvest in the country’s regions, the Turkmenistan State News Agency reported Sept. 1.

This year the cotton harvesting campaign will involve 38 cotton ginning enterprises, 156 harvesting points, 1,076 cotton harvesters, 2,261 vehicles, 2,162 tractors and 3,325 tractor trailers.

Cotton harvesting will begin in Ahal, Lebap and Mary provinces of Turkmenistan on September 5, and in Dashoguz province on September 16.

Some 545,000 hectares of land are allocated for cotton traditionally.

It is planned to harvest in total 1,050,000 tons of cotton this year, in particular 207,000 tons - in Akhal region, 230,000 tons – in Dashoguz region, 300,000 tons – in Lebap region, 313,000 tons – in Mary region.

Cotton is a significant export item of Turkmenistan and is a highly demanded raw material for dozens of modern facilities of the dynamically developing textile industry in the country.