Record: Over 5 Million Tons of Cotton Harvested in Uzbekistan
Sown areas across the country decreased by more than a third, but their yield increased
Uzbekistan has set a historic record in cotton production: for the first time, over 5 million tons of raw cotton were harvested.
With a 38% reduction in sown areas, the average yield in the country increased from 21 to 56 centners per hectare (2.7 times), while water consumption was halved compared to the 1990s due to the introduction of resource-saving technologies.
For comparison, in 2000, 3 million tons of raw cotton were harvested from 1.4 million hectares. In the current season, yields reached 70 centners per hectare on nearly 400,000 hectares, and 100–110 centners per hectare on 70,000 hectares. Around a thousand farming enterprises and clusters surpassed the 100 centners per hectare mark. Leading regions include Jizzakh, Khorezm, Bukhara, Navoi, and Syrdarya provinces (over 60 centners per hectare), while the top districts are Kasansky (110,000 tons) and Mirishkorsky (105,000 tons).
Key factors behind the success were large-scale mechanization and digitalization. Approximately 85% of the entire harvest was collected in 30–35 days using over 3,000 cotton-picking combines, with mechanization reaching 100% in Jizzakh and Syrdarya provinces. The use of agricultural drones and digital systems reduced costs by half.
In the next season, the target for average yield across the country will be raised to 65–70 centners per hectare through the introduction of high-yield seeds, energy-saving technologies, and elements of artificial intelligence.
