Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - The Resolution “On additional measures to develop the seed production system in cotton growing and increase cotton yields” was adopted.

According to the Resolution, from 1 January 2024, it is allowed to import and place as an experiment high-yielding foreign varieties and hybrids of cotton on areas of up to 10 percent of lands used for cotton and managed by cotton-textile clusters and farms.

In the regions, the practice of stage-by-stage sowing of soaked seeds is being introduced with a complete replacement of the sown variety every two years, annual replacement of seeds by importing seeds of the corresponding variety from other regions and the creation of an additional annual seed reserve.

Also, a procedure is being introduced according to which, from 2024:

- it is required to obtain a conclusion from local competent laboratories on a molecular genetic analysis of the genetic purity of cotton seeds imported from abroad by cotton-textile clusters and farms, as well as an assessment of the sowing quality indicators of all imported cotton seeds;

- if cotton varieties and hybrids imported from abroad by cotton-textile clusters and farms meet the specified requirements, based on the results of two years of cultivation, they are entered into the State Register of Agricultural Crops Recommended for Sowing in Uzbekistan.

In the field of creating a free competitive environment and developing market relations in cotton seed production:

- in order to provide raw cotton producers with quality seeds, the function of procuring certified seeds is gradually transferred to cotton-textile clusters and private seed-growing enterprises;

- the practice of supplying cotton seeds by private seed enterprises in an additional order for the 2024 harvest is being introduced based on the conclusion of the Cotton Council;

- it is allowed to organize private certification institutions subject to accreditation in accordance with international standards.

From the 2024 harvest, experimental fields based on high agricultural technologies will be created in each region on at least 500 hectares of land, with practical field seminars for cotton producing entities.

Before the end of the 2024 cotton harvest, the e-Urug platform will be launched as part of the unified integration platform “Digital Agriculture” of the Ministry of Agriculture.