KULOB, May 12, Asia-Plus  -- Five cotton-growing farms in Khatlon’s Kulob region have to date planted cotton on 38,903 hectares, Abdullo Rajabov, leading specialist with the Kulob agriculture directorate, said in an interview with Asia-Plus. 

According to him, only Kulob and Vose districts have their completed cotton-sowing campaigns so far.  In all, the cotton-growing farms in the Kulob region plan to plant cotton on 40,650 hectares this year. 

“The situation is serious in Hamadoni, Farkhor and Danghara districts, which are behind of schedule,” said Rajabov, “They have to plant cotton on the remaining totaling 1,747 hectares.” 

According to him, the main reason for backing of work is shortage of water.  He further added that cotton planted on areas of totaling 565 hectares had perished because of water shortages this year, and they had had to re-sow those areas.

To add to the water shortage problems, electricity shortages have seriously affected work of pump stations in the region this year, Rajabov said.