Expanding the Export Horizons

The company BIG Agro has launched the exports of the Iceberg lettuce, grown on 100 hectares of the Mirishkor and Kasbi districts of the Kashkadarya region.

The favorable soil and climatic conditions of our sunny country allow to receive two or even three yields of vegetables, melons and other crops within a year.

The Iceberg sort of lettuce is similar to white cabbage; its leaves are not very dense. Weight of one head of lettuce reaches 1 kg. This kind of salad is rich in vitamins A, C, E and B, and also contains such useful elements as potassium, phosphorus, iron. The leaves of the salad are distinct with pleasant taste.

“Our company has been cultivating various types of lettuce for a number of years and is selling mainly in the markets of the Russian Federation,” says Bobur Abdumavlonov, the manager of BIG Agro. “This year, a lettuce of the Robinson variety has been grown in the Kashkadarya region. Seeds were imported from Holland; this is a high-yield sort. When carrying out the necessary agrotechnical measures, you can get 15 tons of harvest a hectare. All goods are exported. We are two weeks into the supplies abroad, yet there still a lot of yield in the fields.”

After harvesting, the crop is exported frozen, then processed and exported. For this purpose, the company representatives have delivered everything conducive for these types of works. There are special machines with refrigerators and logistics centers.

As representatives of the company noted, almost 500 people are engaged in temporary work during the cultivation of lettuce. At the same time, on 2.1 thousand hectares of BIG Agro in Mirishkor and Karshi districts, Kayan hot pepper is cultivated. Saplings, planted in early spring in greenhouses on 80 hectares, have already been on the field.

“This variety is much hotter than ordinary pepper,” agronomist Ahror Juraev says. “This is a viable variety with a high adaptability to local climate. For the qualitative carrying out of the agrotechnics in the cultivation of this pepper, experienced specialists from India and Indonesia were invited. Every week they inspect the fields and give their recommendations. According to calculations, it will be possible to harvest up to 20-25 tons per hectare.”

Pepper in dried form will be exported to the countries of Asia and Europe. Today, over 2 thousand seasonal workers labor in the fields.

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