Uzbekistan achieved a record cotton harvest of 56.2 centners per hectare in 2026

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev congratulated farmers, agricultural workers, and everyone involved in the sector on November 4th for the successful harvest of raw cotton, which exceeded 5 million tons. He characterized this result as a record for New Uzbekistan.

According to a statement from the presidential press service, the harvest was carried out before adverse weather conditions set in, thanks to the use of the sector's internal resources. The average cotton yield increased by 2.7 times, rising from 21 to 56 centners per hectare.

It is expected that cotton farming enterprises will earn a net profit of 13–14 trillion soums this year. On an area of about 400,000 hectares, the average yield reached 70 centners per hectare, while on approximately 70,000 hectares, it was 100–110 centners. More than 1,000 farms and clusters showed a yield of 100 centners per hectare or higher.

More than 4,000 farmers registered yields of over 60–70 centners per hectare, and 2,500 achieved a figure of 80 centners. Anorboy Eshmatov from Pakhtakor district and Ulugbek Suiyev from Jarkurgan district each harvested 110 centners of raw cotton per hectare.

Mirziyoyev noted that such achievements were made possible by changes in planting schemes, increasing the number of planted seedlings two to three times, and introducing new biotechnological varieties resistant to cotton bollworm and herbicides. The President also emphasized the creation of the Cotton Council, the application of unconventional technologies by scientists, and the digitalization of the sector. He added that the use of drones helped reduce costs by half. Improvements in payment discipline, the subsidy system, and crop insurance also contributed to the results.

An average yield exceeding 60 centners per hectare was recorded in the regions of Jizzakh, Khorezm, Bukhara, Navoi, and Syrdarya. In Karakalpakstan, the yield increased by 10–15 centners compared to previous years, with the harvest exceeding 400,000 tons. Cotton growers in the districts of Mirzaabad and Khavast achieved yields of over 70 centners per hectare.

In terms of total production volume, Kasan district took first place with 110,000 tons, followed by Mirishkor district with 105,000 tons, Kasbi district with 95,000 tons, Nishan district with 90,000 tons, and Mirzachul district with 85,000 tons.

Approximately 85% of the harvest was collected mechanically. Over 3,000 combines completed their work in 30–35 days. Mechanization reached 100% in the Jizzakh and Syrdarya regions.

The President compared current indicators with past periods. In the 1980s, about 2 million hectares were allocated for cotton cultivation in the country, with an average yield not exceeding 30 centners per hectare. In 2000, cotton was planted on 1.4 million hectares, and the harvest amounted to 3 million tons.

In recent years, cotton cultivation areas have decreased by 38%, the monopoly on cotton has been abolished, and the practice of involving teachers, students, schoolchildren, and civil servants in field work has ceased. Thanks to water-saving technologies, water consumption is now half the level recorded in the 1990s.

Mirziyoyev also reported that scientists and specialists from more than 30 countries proposed establishing a World Cotton Center in Uzbekistan at a recent forum in Tashkent dedicated to World Cotton Day. Next year, the country aims to increase the average cotton yield to 65–70 centners per hectare. Plans include expanding the cultivation of high-yield varieties, broader use of agricultural drones, water and energy-saving technologies, and artificial intelligence. According to the presidential message, more than 3.5 million people are employed in agriculture in Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan achieved a record cotton harvest, collecting five million tons, which is the first such figure since 1991. This result strengthens the raw material base of the country's textile sector.

The increase in cotton collection volume opens up new opportunities for local enterprises, allowing them to expand the production of yarn, fabrics, and finished textile products. Furthermore, it enhances the industry's potential for processing domestic raw materials.

Cotton harvesting continues in some regions of Uzbekistan. Farmers are currently collecting seed cotton, which will be used to prepare for next year's planting campaign. For high-quality planting material, the cotton plants must reach full maturity naturally.

In parallel, Uzbekistan is developing and testing new cotton varieties designed for cultivation in desert conditions, high temperatures, as well as on saline and sandy soils. Such research is being conducted, in particular, in the Alat district of Bukhara region. The goal of this work is to expand the geographical area of cotton cultivation and ensure stable yields under difficult natural and climatic conditions.

The Ministry of Agriculture reported that as of October 22, 2026, Uzbekistan has harvested 4.63 million tons of cotton, reaching 103% of the planned volume.

Of the total harvest of 3,515,597 tons, it was collected using nearly 3,000 modern cotton harvesting combines.

In the country, the average level of mechanization in cotton harvesting reached 76%, while regional indicators varied from 61% to 98.5%.

The highest percentage of mechanization was recorded in the Jizzakh region, where machinery harvested 98.5% of the cotton crop. In the Syrdarya region, this figure was 94.2%, and in the Tashkent region—81.2%.

Cotton harvesting continues across the country; initial collection is taking place over an area exceeding 49,000 hectares. The Ministry emphasized that special attention is being paid to preventing crop losses.

The Ministry attributes the positive results of the season to the implementation of priorities set by the president in the field of agricultural development, the introduction of modern agrarian technologies, and the application of scientific achievements.

Furthermore, throughout the year, practical seminars were held in all regions where cotton is grown, and scientific recommendations and best practices developed by cotton researchers were integrated into production processes.