12.10.2021

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited the "Merganteks Ltd" in the Alat District of the Bukhara Region.

In 2017, the President got acquainted with the project to create a cotton and textile cluster based on this enterprise. After that, a radical turn took place in its activity. In 2018-2020, more than $22 million was invested here. The modern equipment from Germany, Japan, the United States, Belgium and Switzerland was installed.

Today, the enterprise became a large cluster covering the entire production cycle from the primary processing of raw cotton to the tailoring of ready-made clothes. Eight hundred and eighty people work here. The cluster is capable of processing 30,000 tons of cotton per year. Last year, they produced products for 240 billion Uzbek soums, exported goods for more than $6 million.

“These are the first results of a big work. However, this is not the limit. Now it is necessary to develop the next stages of processing, introduce innovative technologies and strive to increase the production of value-added products,” - Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.

Next year, the cluster plans to start producing the ready-made clothing made from natural and chemical fibers. The $25 million project is expected to boost exports to $30 million and create additional 1,000 jobs.

The President was informed about innovative methods of growing cotton. The cluster has introduced drip irrigation on 1.2 thousand hectares of land. As a result, the water consumption has decreased and soil fertility has increased. Some farms have harvested up to 70 centners of cotton per hectare. It was possible to accumulate up to 190 cotton bolls on one cotton bush.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev has highlighted the importance of continuing this effective work, ensuring a close relationship between science and practice, including the production of domestic drip irrigation systems based on foreign expertise.