According to the Tajikistan Ministry of Agriculture, the number of greenhouses in the country is increasing every year. “There are 950 greenhouses operating across the republic with a total area of 166 hectares, while in 2020 greenhouses occupied only 101.5 hectares. To this day, vegetables have been planted in greenhouses on an area of 43.9 hectares, including tomatoes on 16.2 hectares, cucumbers on 9.3 hectares and other types of vegetables on 18.5 hectares, as well as citrus fruits. Sowing in greenhouses continues,” the ministry said.
Tajikistan’s commitment to agricultural innovation is evident in the continuous evolution of greenhouse cultivation methods. Alif Tolibov, the director of the Institute of Horticulture and Vegetable Growing, highlights five approaches, emphasizing the importance of selecting crops suitable for each method and prioritizing disease and pest-resistant varieties.
Geographical advantages, fertile soil, a skilled workforce, a mild climate, and an established market position in Tajikistan are favourable for greenhouse expansion. The success stories of farmers like Madjid Shoyev, who cultivates Meyer lemons, and Azamat Abdurakhmonov, who produces thousands of tomato seedlings, showcase the profitability and potential of greenhouse farming.
As an example, an experienced grower from the Ozodagon jamoat, Pyanj district, Khatlon region, Majid Shoev is interviewed. He built greenhouses with an area of 7 acres on his personal plot, where Meyer lemons grow. This type of subtropical plant grows well in greenhouses.
“Over many years of practice, local breeders managed to create a variety of citrus fruits that are resistant to external influences and even transfer seedlings of young lemon trees to other farms. In the first greenhouse there are 120 bushes over 5 years old, and in the second – 50 seedlings of three years old. Of course, the work has its own nuances. To get the desired harvest, it is necessary to follow agrotechnical rules. Lemon seedlings begin to produce a good harvest after three years. Seedlings over 5 years old yield up to 80-90 kilograms, and three-year-old seedlings yield up to 30 kilograms,” said Majid Shoev.
Growing lemons, he said, despite certain subtleties, is a profitable industry.
Tomato seedlings
According to another agrarian from the village of Chorbog jamoat Ishmurod Niyazov, Kubodiyonsky district, Azamat Abdurakhmonov, up to 30 thousand tomato seedlings are grown in his greenhouse with an area of 1 hectare. Depending on the season, the greenhouse employs up to 20 local people. On average, the greenhouse can harvest 61 tons of crops per year, including 36 tons of tomatoes and 25 tons of cucumbers.
“To grow vegetable crops, it is necessary to monitor soil and air humidity, temperature, provide the plants with sufficient light, regularly fertilize them, and fight pests and diseases. Greenhouses allow you to harvest several crops a year. The harvest season in greenhouse conditions begins in November and lasts until May,” he explained.
These efforts contribute to local markets’ winter resilience and also hold the promise of stabilising prices. As Tajikistan continues to invest in and adopt advanced agricultural practices, the expansion of greenhouse areas signifies a positive trajectory for the country’s agricultural sector, the director says.
Source: Horti Daily