Dear compatriots!
Respected farmers, cluster employees, and field workers!
I sincerely congratulate you, my dear ones, on achieving a record result by creating a high cotton harvest of over 5 million tons for the first time in the history of New Uzbekistan.
Certainly, this historic victory, achieved through your selfless labor, courage, and perseverance, is the victory of our entire nation. This is the miracle of New Uzbekistan in the cotton industry.
It would be fair to say that the creators of this achievement are you—our brave farmers, skilled agronomists, water managers, machine operators, scientists, specialists, and cluster employees.
Taking this opportunity, I express my deep gratitude to all of you on my own behalf and on behalf of our entire people, and I convey my best wishes. Our entire nation is proud of you.
In particular, it is commendable that in the current year, when difficulties related to climate change have intensified, you harvested the cotton raw material with high quality using the internal capabilities of the sector without leaving it for rainy days.
Speaking about this, we involuntarily recall the difficult days when cotton growing brought not benefits to our people, but suffering and, ultimately, the false accusation known as the “Uzbek affair.” The thought of “Who were we and who have we become?” certainly crosses our minds.
Indeed, during the former Soviet era, particularly in the 1980s, nearly 2 million hectares of land were allocated for cotton cultivation in our republic, while the average yield did not exceed 30 centners, and as a result, the farmer did not prosper.
In the early period of independence, specifically by the year 2000, 1.4 million hectares were sown with seeds, and a total of 3 million tons of cotton were harvested across Uzbekistan. In recent years, to pull the sector out of a dire situation, we first reduced the area sown with seeds by 38 percent and put an end to the cotton monopoly. We put a stop to involving teachers, students, and budget organization employees in field work.
We prioritized developing the sector based on scientific achievements and modern agrotechnologies. At first, there were those who did not believe in this and viewed it with skepticism. However, life itself and this year's results clearly confirm how correct the path we chose is.
Over the past period, the yield in cotton growing has increased 2.7 times, reaching 56 centners from 21 centners, which shows what a great path of progress we have traveled in this regard.
It is extremely important for us that, due to the widespread introduction of water-saving technologies, water consumption has decreased by 2 times compared to the 1990s, and the amount of yield obtained per cubic meter of water is increasing.
This year, changing planting schemes, increasing the number of seedlings by 2-3 times, and introducing new biotechnological varieties resistant to bollworms and herbicides also proved their worth. The practical effect of these changes can be clearly seen in the example of nearly 400,000 hectares of land where the average yield reached 70 centners, and on nearly 70,000 hectares, a yield of up to 100-110 centners was obtained.
Undoubtedly, among such achievements, the fact that nearly 1,000 farms and clusters conquered the average mark of 100 centners and higher holds a special place. Speaking of this, we note with pleasure that more than 4,000 of our farmers exceeded an average yield of 60-70 centners, 2,500 exceeded 80 centners, and in particular, Anorboy Eshmatov from Pakhtakor district and Ulugbek Sopiyev from Jarkurgan district obtained 110 centners of yield per hectare.
Farms such as “Burgut polvon” in Mingbulok district, “Yahyo bobo” in Navbakhor district, “Boyovutlik Humoyun” in Boyovut district, “Otabek Zilola” in Bekobod district, “Murod” in Akkurgon district, “Ixlosbek” in Gurlan district, “Yakub Annazar” in Khazorasp district, and “Gulcharos Munisa” in Tuprokkala district also exceeded a yield of 100 centners.
The fact that the yield in Jizzakh, Khorezm, Bukhara, Navoi, and Syrdarya regions exceeded 60 centners will also be written in golden letters in the history of our cotton industry.
I am pleased to wholeheartedly congratulate the cotton growers of Karakalpakstan, who, in a very difficult ecological zone, increased the yield by 10-15 centners compared to previous years and created a harvest of more than 400,000 tons.
The workers of Mirzaobod and Khovos districts, who exceeded a yield of 70 centners, and Mirzachul, Pakhtakor, Kiziltepa, Uchkurgon and Peshku, Jalakuduk, Vobkent, Jondor, Romitan, Olot, Arnasoy, Turakurgon, Uychi, Bogot, Khonka, Khazorasp, Jarkurgan and Yangibozor, Amudaryo, Baliqchi, Marhamat, Pakhtaobod, Dustlik, Kokdala, Navbakhor, Mingbulok, Chortok, Pakhtachi, Kattakurgan, Kumkurgan, Boyovut, Akkurgon, Buka, Bekobod, Piskent, Yukorichirchik, Bagdod, Kuva, Gurlan, and Kushkupir districts, who reached 55-70 centners, became an example for others.
Districts such as Koson, which created the largest harvest of 110,000 tons, as well as Mirishkor (105,000), Kasbi (95,000), Nishon (90,000), Mirzachul (85,000), Mirzaobod (81,000), Dustlik (77,000), Amudaryo (76,000), Okoltin (72,000), Pastdargom (71,000), Pakhtakor (68,000), Mingbulok and Kuyichirchik (62,000 tons each), Boyovut and Jondor (60,000 tons each), Bekobod (58,000), Gurlan and Romitan (57,000 tons each), Vobkent and Kattakurgan (56,000 tons each), and Khonka (52,000 tons) also took their rightful place among the leaders.
We especially appreciate that in the Olot and Boston districts, led by our wise and organized women, the average yield reached 55-60 centners.
The fact that 85 percent of this year's harvest was collected in 30-35 days with the help of more than 3,000 cotton picking machines, that the level of mechanization reached 100 percent in Jizzakh and Syrdarya regions, and that our other regions are approaching this milestone is an important result of our reforms aimed at freeing people from heavy labor.
The establishment of the Cotton Council, the use of non-traditional technologies by our scientists, as well as digitalization and the use of drones to halve expenses were also key factors in ensuring this year's achievements. Along with these, the rational use of financial resources allocated by the state, improved payment discipline, refined subsidies, the creation of an insurance system, and, in a word, the complete renewal of the system in the sector played a significant role in achieving high results.
At this point, I would like to draw your attention to another important figure: this year, our farmers are expected to make a net profit of 13-14 trillion soums from cotton. On this basis, it is natural that they will earn a decent income for their hard work throughout the year, and the lives of our people will become even more prosperous and well-off.
Of course, in ensuring such huge results, our constant attention to the development of agriculture, the interest of farmers, clusters, and, in general, every person working in the field in their own labor, and their belief in the future play a decisive role.
Respected compatriots!
In implementing our strategic path in the agricultural sector, we rely first and foremost on you, the more than 3.5 million diligent workers operating in the agro-sector. We are ready to provide all the additional conditions and opportunities that need to be created for you.
High and stable development of agriculture is a factor that occupies a priority place in the high and stable development of our entire country.
It is certainly no coincidence that at the conference dedicated to the International Cotton Day held recently in Tashkent, scientists and experts from more than 30 countries acknowledged our achievements and proposed establishing the World Cotton Center specifically in Uzbekistan.
Next year, we have set a goal to reach an average cotton yield of 65-70 centners by creating even more conditions for you regarding the use of high-yielding seed varieties, processing via agro-drones, water and energy-saving technologies, and the application of artificial intelligence. I believe that in successfully fulfilling such urgent tasks, our farmers and cluster employees will work with even greater energy and enthusiasm together with scientists, engineers, and specialists.
We will never stop moving forward with the spirit of belief in our own work, our own word, and our own victory, which is embodied in our noble idea of “Our own”!
Once again, I congratulate you, my dear ones, who are creating a new history in Uzbekistan's cotton industry, on today's festival of triumph, and I wish you all health, and peace, happiness, and prosperity to your families.
Bravo to your generosity and your strength, my hardworking and devoted compatriots!
Shavkat Mirziyoyev,
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan
