Uzbekistan decreased production of cotton fiber by 2.7% year-on- year to 618,606 tonnes in the first five months of 2007, Interfax quoted the state statistics department.

The country’s textile industry increased production of cotton fabric by 10.4% year-on-year to 59.943 million square meters in the five months.

It was reported earlier that Uzbekistan produced 1.171 million tonnes of cotton fiber in 2006, 1.4% less than in 2005.

Uzbekistan is the fifth largest producer of cotton fiber in the world, and the second largest exporter. The country annually produces about 3.5 million tonnes of raw cotton and 1 million to 1.2 million tonnes of cotton fiber. More than 75% of the cotton fiber is exported.