Tajiksitan's cotton growers have yielded more than 403,000 tons of cotton as of Oct.24, Asia-Plus reported with reference to the Tajik Agriculture Ministry. The figure exceeds by 3 percent the targeted volume that has been determined at 390,000 tons of cotton.

The country's cotton growers now gather more than 1,000 tons of cotton daily, which is 0.3 percent of the national target.

Most of the country's cotton producing regions still continues to gather cotton in addition to their contractual obligations. The ministry's specialists are sure that the Tajik cotton growers can yield more than 420,000 tons of cotton in 2011.

Tajikistan yielded 310,513 tons of raw cotton from 160,400 hectares in 2010. the figure exceeded the targeted volume by 10,500 tons and by 3.2 percent (13,500 tons) more than in 2009.

Cotton makes an important contribution to both the agricultural sector and the national economy. Cotton accounts for 60 percent of agricultural output, supports 75 percent of the rural population, and uses 45 percent of irrigated arable land. At the national level, it is an important source of both export earnings and tax revenue. Tajikistan is the world's fourth largest exporter of cotton, and there is strong demand on international markets for its high quality product.