TASHKENT (TCA) — A number of promising projects aimed at the development of economic and agricultural sectors in the Aral Sea region were planned during a visit of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the northwestern Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan late last week, including investment projects that will be implemented in the food industry, programs on development of livestock, poultry, beekeeping, fish farming, and camel breeding, the Jahon information agency reported.
One such promising project is the cultivation of red peppers on low-yield cotton fields.
According to experts, currently red pepper is grown on 4.4 million hectares in the world, with an annual collection of 68.3 million tons of peppers. The harvest from one hectare reaches 15-20 tons. One kilogram of dried red pepper can be produced from five kilograms of fresh peppers. One ton of such product is estimated at about US $8,640 in the world market. It is expected that in 2017 the total revenue from the sale of red peppers in the world will exceed 30 billion dollars. Most of these products are grown in Indonesia, China, and Mexico.
The president of Uzbekistan gave instructions on expanding the cultivation of high-yield, export-oriented red peppers in the country. In particular, it is planned to plant this crop on 15 thousand hectares in 2018 in Karakalpakstan. Specialists from Indonesia will help local farmers in planting and organizing agro-technical activities.
