DUSHANBE, June 30, 2011, Asia-Plus -- To-date, Tajik farmers have produced 172,700 tons of grains, including 166,500 tons of wheat, from 87,300 hectares, which is 29.2 percent of the area allocated to grain cultivation this year, according to the crop production department within the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA).

“Over this week alone, farmers have produced more than 76,000 tons of grains,” the source said.  According to him,  average grain yields now stand at 2.52 tons per hectare.

The grain harvesting campaign is reportedly progressing in all regions of the country, except Gorno Badakhshan where grains have not yet ripened.

299,100 hectares have been allocated to grain cultivation in the country this year.  Farmers in the northern Sughd province have planted grains on 94,000 hectares, Khatlon farmers have allocated 140,000 hectares to the grain cultivation, and districts subordinate to the center have planted grains on 59,400 hectares.  Specialists expect local farmers to produce at least 1.2 million tons of cereals this year. 

In 2010, grain crops were planted on 333,000 hectares, including 242,200 hectares allocated to wheat.  Last year, Tajik farmers yielded 1.2613 million tons of cereals, including 91,821 tons of wheat.  average grain yields were 2.28 tons per hectare.  In 2009, Tajik farmers produced 1.4 million tons of cereals from 463,000 hectares; average yields stood at 2.4 tons per hectare.

Current Tajikistan’s annual requirements in wheat are estimated at 1.429 million tons and in wheat flour at 1.043 million tons.