Cotton production is reduced

For the second year in a row the cotton production in Azerbaijan is reduced. Th3 government support for cotton growing is virtually nonexistent.

This year, the production of raw cotton at the beginning of November amounted to 31.5 thousand tons, which is 35.6 % less than in the comparable period in 2012.

Reduction of production volumes of cotton occurs in the face of declining acreage that experts attribute to low purchasing prices in the local and global markets.

"Cotton companies actually created a secret cartel, setting the agreed prices, which do not suit farmers. A ton of raw cotton for the third year is purchased at the same price - 420 manats," said a specialist on cotton in an anonymous way.

Today cotton business in Azerbaijan belongs mainly to LLC MKT Istehsalat Kommersiya (owned by the family of Kemaleddin Heydarov) and LLC CTS-Agro (controlled by the International Bank of Azerbaijan).

This year, cotton was planted on 23.5 hectares, which is 19.6 % less than last year. Experts note that the reason for the decline in acreage this year was also unfavorable weather conditions, causing part of the seeds sown under cotton to perish. For comparison, in 2011 the area under cotton accounted for 42.8 thsd hectares, from which 66.4 thsd tons of the crop were picked.

The lowest yield of cotton (31.9 thsd tons) in the period of independence since 1991 was picked in 2009, when under cotton there was allocated 21.1 thsd hectares of land.

The final figure for the cotton harvest in 2013 SSC will publish before the 10th of December.