By Trend

The last preparatory work is underway for cotton harvesting in Azerbaijan, Trend reports on Sept. 5 referring to Azerbaijani Ministry of Agriculture.

All available means were used in the cotton growing districts this year and all conditions were created for collecting abundant harvest.

Agroleasing OJSC in a timely manner provided legal entities and individuals operating in this sphere with all the necessary equipment, including technical means and mineral fertilizers.

In particular, pesticides and insecticides were sold to farmers at a 70 percent discount to protect cotton crops from such pests as aphids.

At the same time, training courses were held for the machine operators to speed up the sowing work and certificates were given to the best machine operators.

According to the ministry, 411 combines are currently used, 123 of which belong to Agroleasing OJSC, while 288 - to the private companies.

Moreover, 125 Belarus-80X tractors and 220 trailers are used by the company’s regional branches.

This year, cotton has been sown in an area covering ??more than 100,000 hectares in 21 districts, of which over 96,000 hectares belong to the legal entities while about 4,000 hectares to the individuals.

Defoliation has been launched at the cotton fields. The fields are sprayed with defoliants for the leaves of cotton to fall before harvesting. After 10-12 days, the combines will start harvesting.

Presently, the biostimulants, defoliants are sold to legal entities and individuals engaged in cotton growing at a 70-percent discount established by the state, in the fertilizer warehouses of the regional branches of Agroleasing company.