Business

Azerbaijan Plans To Grow New Varieties Of Coloured Cotton

The number of varieties of cultivated coloured cotton may increase in Azerbaijan. Head of the State Seed Control Service of the Ministry of Agriculture Imran Jumshudov said that two varieties of coloured cotton were grown so far in order to accumulate experience. "Cotton seeds were delivered from China. According to Chinese experts, these varieties are not suitable for cultivation in all countries of the world, and they do not produce a normal crop everywhere. However, the climate of Azerbaijan makes it possible to grow such varieties of cotton, as coloured and organic," he noted. The head of the state service said that these seeds were planted in the sown area of the Regional Agrarian Scientific Information Center of the Terter region. "Very good results have already been achieved: at present cotton is at the stage of maturation," Jumshudov pointed out. He went on to say that the cultivation of organic cotton makes it possible not to use chemical dyes for dyeing children's clothes, but to make clothes from coloured cotton. It is planned to grow other flowers of this cotton further in Azerbaijan, Jumshudov said. "For the time being, brown and light brown cotton is grown in Azerbaijan. However, there are also varieties of red, green, light pink and blue cotton. If the already planted varieties give a big harvest, in the future other varieties of coloured cotton can be grown in Azerbaijan," he added. Jumshudov further said that this variety of cotton is superior to local ones in quality and fineness of the fibre. The cotton industry, which was once the traditional branch of agriculture in Azerbaijan, is effectively reviving today. Cotton production is most developed in Saatli (25,437 tons), Bilasuvar (24,234 tons), Barda (21,552 tons), Aghjabadi (19,555 tons) and Sabirabad (17,608 tons). In early 2017, the state programme for 2017-2022 was approved with an aim of strengthening measures directed at developing this sphere. The purpose is to develop cotton growing, increase export potential, ensure employment of the rural population and increase the production of cotton. The new goal of the state is to bring the cotton production up to 500,000 tons by 2022 from the current 260,000 tons.