Turkestan Region Farmers Harvest First Cabbage Crop in 45 Days

Turkestan farmers reap early cabbage success with drip irrigation breakthroughs

Farmers in the Zhetysai and Maktaaral districts of Turkestan Region have begun harvesting their first cabbage crop of the year, which matured in just 45 days. The produce is now being prepared for sale.

"This year, we planted around 10 hectares of land with cabbage and melons. As an experiment, we installed drip irrigation systems on four hectares, and the results have been excellent. We plan to expand the use of these systems in the future. We will also apply for subsidies. This year, we signed an agreement with Kazvodkhoz, so water is supplied on time," said Yermakhan Taso, a farmer from Zhetysai District.

The Turkestan branch of the Republican State Enterprise Kazvodkhoz, under the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, provides water to over 330,000 hectares of irrigated land in the region, including the city of Shymkent. Of these, around 60,000 hectares are allocated to orchards.

To encourage farmers to adopt modern irrigation methods, the ministry has increased reimbursement rates for well drilling, infrastructure development, and the purchase of water-saving equipment from 50% to 80%. Additionally, subsidies for irrigation water costs for those using water-saving technologies have been raised from 60% to 85%.