nCa News and Commentary
President Berdimuhamedov, who is on a working visit to Dashoguz province of Turkmenistan, drove Tuesday morning to the grain farm of Amanyaz Berdiyev in Niyazov district.
Berdiyev has leased 21 hectares of land on which has sown Hasylly variet of wheat. He estimates that the yield would be 40 centners per hectare.
The president drove a combine harvester from one end of the field to the other to give start to the gathering of the crop.
At the other end of the field the president looked at the farm machinery on display, mainly from CLAAS (Germany) and John Deere (USA).
It is noteworthy that the agriculture institute of Turkmenistan located in Dashoguz teaches the use and maintenance of agricultural and farm machinery.
The president took particular interest in an 8-row cotton seeder of John Deere.
From the farm of Berdiyev, the president drove to the agricultural enterprise Altyn Tug, which is owned Isaguly Garabaev.
Garabaev has a greenhouse which was established in 2019. He grows Gök ýaýla tomatoes, Bitarap-20 red bell peppers, Nabat yellow bell peppers, and Datly strawberries.
The annual yield is about 2500 tons of tomatoes, 20 tons of strawberries, and 4 tons of bell peppers. The greenhouse employs 120 workers.
Garabaev told that he plans to start growing bananas in his greenhouse.
The president suggested that he should also experiment with citrus fruit and pineapple.
The president said that as the country expands its capacity of growing fruit and vegetables, there is the urgent need to build more cold storage facilities.
nCa Commentary by Tariq Saeedi
The pattern was same but the stress was different. As in his visits to Lebap and Mary provinces earlier this month, the president of Turkmenistan visited a grain farm and a greenhouse during his trip to Dashoguz province.
The fact that President Berdimuhamedov decided to drive a harvester combine to give start to the gathering of wheat crop in the field of Amanyaz Berdiyev underlines an important aspect – it is vital to attract young talent to farming if the country is to attain and maintain Basic Self Reliance.
Self sufficiency in food is an essential part of Basic Self Reliance.
Turkmenistan is mindful of the fact that the world would have to live with Covid-19, one way or the other. This strain of coronavirus can ultimately be managed by vaccine and care but it is not going to go away entirely.
There is a two-tier challenge: 1. To continue safeguarding against the intrusion of coronavirus; and 2. To blunt the economic impact of coronavirus because of its prevalence in the neighbourhood and the world.
The pursuit, and diligent maintenance, of Basic Self Reliance will afford a semi-permeable dome against the global fallout of Covid-19. /// nCa, 17 June 2020