EastFruit experts analyzed the problems related to water use in Uzbekistan and the possible consequences of this attitude to water for fruit and vegetable producers.
On December 7, the President of the measures aimed at protecting groundwater. Currently, 90% of wells do not have meters, so it is not possible to collect accurate information about groundwater consumption. Therefore, users of underground water must get equipped with a meter by January 1, 2024.
According to industry experts, it may even benefit Uzbekistan's horticulture industry.
Andriy Yarmak, an economist of the investment department of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), believes that the introduction of a reasonable payment for water and an increase in its price will help Uzbek farmers to focus on the quality of their products.
"The right strategy for fruit farming in Uzbekistan is to focus on growing and exporting high-quality fruits to the European markets at high prices," Yarmak explains.
According to the FAO specialist, Uzbekistan undoubtedly has huge reserves for increasing the efficiency of water use even without the need to drill new wells.
One of the oldest methods of irrigation, furrow irrigation, is considered as obsolete. Unfortunately, it is still widely used in the country which exacerbates the problem of using excessive water.
Yet, I would like to draw the attention of Uzbek farmers to drip irrigation which is a promising technology. This can fundamentally change not only horticulture and vegetable growing but also the agriculture of the entire country for the better, - the FAO economist says.
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