It was announced at a session held in Urgut on November 25 with the participation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev that the volume of water coming from the Zarafshan River, which is considered the most important water source for the Samarkand region, is decreasing year by year. This situation is putting serious pressure on agriculture and the irrigation system.
As a result of the decrease in water, the level of groundwater use has doubled. In this regard, the need to introduce water-saving technologies on at least 30 thousand hectares next year was indicated. For farmers, the loan rates for drip and sprinkler irrigation will be reduced from 14 to 10 percent, and a subsidy of 12 million soums per hectare will be allocated for cotton fields.
A new system for the efficient use of water resources will be introduced: the funds received from the water tax will remain entirely at the disposal of district water management enterprises and will be used for concreting irrigation ditches and canals. Due to this, 1 thousand km of earth canals will be converted into concrete pavement annually.
At the session, information was also presented on the lands of the Urgut district: out of 112 thousand hectares, 12 thousand hectares are irrigated. This year, 2 thousand hectares of grain and 3.5 thousand hectares of tobacco land are being transferred to fruit and vegetable cultivation. Export-oriented products will be grown on the newly added 5.5 thousand hectares. For example, if white raisins are grown on 3,000 hectares, the district will export $80 million worth of raisins.
It was also proposed to establish industrial vineyards on 500 hectares of foothill areas in Urgut and distribute 10 hectares to the population. In Ishtikhan, similar vineyards will be planted next year on 2 thousand hectares of hills.
To provide these lands with water, 30 billion soums will be allocated for drilling 50 artesian wells and installing 15-20 kilowatt solar panels.
Read “Zamin” on Telegram!
Users of Меҳмон are not allowed to comment this publication.
