Russian Govt Hosts a Meeting to Discuss The Prospects of Development of Cotton Production

The Russian Ministry of Agriculture recently held a meeting in order to discuss the prospects of development of cotton production in the country, especially in the Astrakhan, Stavropol and Kalmykia regions of Russia.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry, the meeting was organized with the objective to identify the challenges and form an agenda, in order to develop cotton production in these three regions.

At the meeting, Peter Chekmaryov, director of the Department of Crop, Chemicals and Plant Protection of the Ministry of Agriculture, said in order to develop cotton production significant financial expenses would have to be undertaken, especially for reviving production of the crop.

Reclamation work needs to be carried out, for acquiring technology, building plants for primary processing of cotton, and training of skilled personnel, he added.

According to Mr. Chekmaryov, the three regions, Astrakhan, Stavropol and Kalmykia, have been identified as having best soil and climatic conditions for cultivation of the crop, and development of cotton production should begin in these three regions.

According to the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, the domestic textile industry requires 80,000 tons of cotton, which is completely fulfilled through imports, mainly from Uzbekistan, and therefore it is necessary to increase domestic cultivation of the crop to meet with textile industry requirements.

During the meeting, Minister of Agriculture Nikolai Fyodorov stressed that the development of cotton production in Russia requires joint efforts from all the regional authorities and the Ministry of Agriculture, Industry and Trade, Ministry of Economic Development of Russia.

The meeting saw participation from Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia Viktor Evtukhov, vice-president of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences Ivan Savchenko, heads of various departments of the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as Government representatives of the Astrakhan, Stavropol and Kalmykia regions.

As per the Ministry’s estimates, demand for cotton fibre in the Russian textile industry by 2020 is expected to be around 200,000 tons. In 2012, Russia imported 90,000 tons of cotton.