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By Trend

Globally competitive cotton varieties have been created in Azerbaijan, Director of the Plant Protection Institute of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Agriculture Elchin Khalilov told Trend.

Khalilov said the fast-growing cotton varieties Ganja-110, Ganja-114, Ganja-160, Ganja-182 and Ganja-183 that meet world quality standards are distinguished by high yield.

“The quality and high yield of these varieties was recognized by Greece. The country recognized that these Azerbaijani cotton varieties can compete with the highest quality cotton varieties in the world. Although local varieties are of sufficient quality, the cost of varieties imported into the country from abroad is higher than local varieties. While a kilogram of seeds of local varieties is offered at a price of 0.5 manat (nearly 3 cents), Turkish varieties are sold at a price of 6 manat ($3.5) per kilogram,” said the expert.

“Local varieties grow faster than Turkish ones. If agrotechnical requirements are observed, the yield of local varieties is 55-60 centners per hectare. Currently, these varieties are used in Saatli, Sabirabad, Neftchala and other districts of Azerbaijan,” the institute’s director noted.

He emphasized that among these varieties the most resistant to external stress factors and productive are the following varieties: Ganja-160, Ganja-182 and Ganja-183.

“One of the main advantages of the Ganja-182 variety is that it is the fastest growing cotton variety in the country. The cotton harvest begins in late August and ends in late September - early October. This allows farmers to start the next planting season, and make more profit during the season,” added Khalilov.

“However, the current five varieties of Turkish cotton grown in Azerbaijan are harvested from November through December. Among these varieties, Karizma, Beyaz Altun, Adenin, Kilesh are used more often. Although these varieties are also high-yielding, they are more expensive for farmers, and the prices for raw cotton in the country are the same - both local and Turkish varieties are sold at the same price,” the expert stressed.

“Over 200 types of products are produced from cotton, the main product of which is cotton, refined from seeds. The quality of Ganja-182 cotton fiber fully meets the requirements of the textile industry,” he said.

“The fiber yield from raw cotton is extremely high - 40 percent. In the Salyan stronghold of the Agency for Agricultural Services, the yield of this variety was 58 centners per hectare. Now, most farmers in their farms use specifically this variety,” Khalilov noted.

In general, the new varieties of cotton, Ganja-182 and Ganja-183, are resistant to environmental stress, said the director.

“However, the most drought tolerant of these varieties is Ganja-160. If the crop is irrigated twice during the growing season, it is possible to obtain 45-50 centners of the yield per hectare,” Khalilov added.

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