1. Workshop for Establishing an International Collaboration Platform for Smallholders, Family Farmers and Agricultural Producer Organisations in OIC Member Countries Country Presentation: REPUBLIC OF TAJIKISTAN

2. AGRICULTURE SECTOR OF TAJIKISTAN Tajikistan is mainly agricultural country. The total area of arable lands of the country is more than 4.3 million hectares. About 82% of arable lands (over 660 thousand hectares) are irrigated. Agriculture gave more than 65% of the gross output of all agricultural production in Tajikistan. The main item of Tajik export is cotton. In the best years in Tajikistan were produced up to 1 million tons of crude cotton. Tajik cotton is highly valued in the world. It has a great breaking strength and staple length.

3. In the Republic of Tajikistan agrarians cultivate as finely-fibred and middle-fibred sort of cotton that go to different needs. By types the Tajik cotton fiber is divided into seven types, of which the first, second and third types are fine-fiber and derived from cotton type of Gossypium barbadense L. The other four (middle-fibred) types of fibers are obtained from the cotton type of Gossypium brisytum L, which was derived by Soviet scientists.

4. By clogging fiber is divided into five classes: upper, good, average, common, and weed, depending on which the price varies from + 5 to - 55 percentages of the cotton quotations in Liverpool Cotton Exchange. Following the removal of monopoly by the government on cotton market cotton growing farms got the right to dispose the collected harvest - to sell their products within the country or export cotton to abroad.

5. Tajikistan has cotton exchange, which carries out transactions on purchase - sale of cotton - cotton fibers, or other products. In recent years in Tajikistan become more widespread the so-called futures transactions. According to the agreements the foreign firms provide farmers with available means for the next harvest of cotton by in the form of fuel, tractors, chemicals, fertilizers, and money to pay cotton growers. The biggest investors and buyers that are adequately and actively working with Tajik cotton producers are the Swiss firm "Paul Reinhard" and trade department of the Swiss bank "Credit Suisse Fast Boston.

6. Tajik cotton is also exporting to Latvia, Iran and Russia. From industrial crops are also cultivated tobacco, sesame, olive flax and geraniums, from which will be produced essential oil. Among cultivated crops there are also wheat and other cereals; so the potatoes; fruits, grapes, vegetables and melons. Dairy and meat cattle and meat sheep wool is also developing. Sericulture is developing with the help of foreign investors.

7. Thank you!