Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan reports that harvesting of "early ripe" carrots has begun in the regions, the full ripening of which was delayed by almost a month due to weather conditions.

The mass harvesting is scheduled for the first days of July. This will fully provide the market with fresh carrots and lead to a gradual decrease in their value.

In 2021, in all categories of farms, it is planned to plant carrots on a total area of 124,400 hectares (18.2 thousand hectares more than last year), in total it is planned to grow 2.3 million tonnes of carrots. The population’s annual demand is 800 thousand tonnes. The rest of the grown carrots are exported and processed. The share of carrot products in the consumer basket is 0.4%. In order to provide the population with carrots in the winter-spring season, more than 400 thousand tonnes of carrots are reserved. There are 55 carrot processing enterprises with a capacity of 250-300 thousand tonnes in the country. They process carrots mainly in the form of drying, shock freezing. Mainly late-ripening varieties of carrots are taken as raw materials. Last year, 110 thousand tonnes of late carrots were processed.

Carrots are planted 4 times a year. In November-December, carrots are planted using the "tuksonbosti" method (the crop usually fully ripens in March-April). This method makes it possible to provide more resistant varieties, since during the winter the seeds, being underground, are saturated with moisture, adapt and germinate even at a temperature of 4-5 C, before weeds. At the end of autumn 2020, for the early harvest of 2021, carrots were planted on 30.3 thousand hectares (or 5.8 thousand hectares more than last year) using the “tuksonbosti” method in the republic. In April-May 2021, the crop planted using the "tuksonbosti" method provided the markets with the required amount of carrots and was sold at an average price of 2000-2500 soums.

In February-March, "early ripe" carrots are planted (harvest, as a rule, is expected by May). As mentioned above, the period of planting "early ripe" carrots this year coincided with cold weather atypical for spring, which led to a later ripening of the crop (by 20-25 days), a slight pause in the supply of a new carrot crop to the markets and a temporary increase in prices.

In April-May, "mid-ripening" carrots are planted - the harvest ripens by mid-summer, and in June-July, "late-ripening" carrots are planted, the harvest of which occurs in September-October. This ensures year-round sowing and harvesting, which allows stabilizing the price of this type of agricultural products.

In April-May 2021, the planting of "mid-season" carrots has already been carried out: 15.2 thousand hectares of carrots have been planted on the main areas of farms and agricultural enterprises, and 18.4 thousand hectares of carrots on household plots. In addition, it is planned to plant carrots on 40.5 thousand hectares of grain-free lands of farms and agricultural enterprises.

Carrots are planted in accordance with the soil and climatic conditions in Nukus district of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Gallaaral, Bakhmal districts of Jizzakh region, Tashkent, Yukorichirchik, Yangiyul districts of Tashkent region, Mirishkar, Nishan, Karshi districts of Kashkadarya region, Karshakman, Saykhunobod, Boyovut districts of Syrdarya region, Oltiarisk, Baghdad, Yeziyovon, Ferghana and Besharik districts of Fergana region, Khiva district of Khorezm region, where carrot sown areas are expanding.

Through the use of innovative resource-saving technologies, planting high-yielding varieties, the introduction of drip irrigation, reducing the cost of mineral fertilizers, timely treatment against diseases and pests, that is, high-quality agrotechnical work, an increase in yield per hectare is achieved - from 20-25 tonnes to 30-40 tonnes.

This allows our farmers to reduce the costs and cost of carrots: 700-800 soums (6.5-7.5 cents) or 1.5 times cheaper for 1 kg of carrots.

The sharp rise in prices for carrots in the CIS countries led to a mismatch in prices in the markets. In particular, the price of 1 kg of carrots in Kazakhstan is 535 tenge (US$1.25), in Kyrgyzstan - 100 soms (US$1.18), in Tajikistan - 10 somoni (US$0.88), in Russia - 100 rubles (US$1.38) in Belarus - 2 rubles (US$0.83).

According to the official data of Kyrgyzstan, the rise in prices for carrots in June by 48.1% was influenced by an increase in the volume of exports, in the spring - a cold temperature. In Kazakhstan, officials indicated that carrots rose in price due to lack of storage capacity, insufficient harvest and high import prices (including from Uzbekistan, the share is 99.6%). The increased demand for carrots in the main trading countries and the rise in prices have led to an increase in exports.

The increase in demand for carrots in foreign countries and the rise in prices influenced the increase in exports this year: as of 19 June 2021, a total of 43.6 tonnes were exported, or 31% (33,282 tonnes) more compared to the same period last year. Approximately 75% of exported carrots are in the months of April-May, that is, early ripe carrots.