Zarafshan water is decreasing: new measures will be taken in Samarkand

The amount of water coming from the Zarafshan River, the main water source for Samarkand region, is decreasing year by year. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

This issue was discussed at a session held on November 25 in Urgut with the participation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Water scarcity is having a serious negative impact on agriculture and the irrigation system.

Due to the reduction of water in the river, the use of underground water has doubled. Therefore, it is planned to introduce water-saving technologies on at least 30 thousand hectares next year.

Preferential loans will be offered to farmers for drip and sprinkler irrigation systems. Loan interest rates will be reduced from 14 percent to 10 percent, and a subsidy of 12 million soums per hectare will be allocated for cotton fields.

A new system will be introduced to organize the efficient use of water. Funds received from water taxes will remain entirely at the disposal of district water management and will be directed towards concreting canals and irrigation ditches.

It is planned to convert 1,000 kilometers of soil canals to concrete coating annually. Information about the lands of Urgut district was also provided at the session.

In the district, 12 thousand hectares out of 112 thousand hectares of land area are irrigated lands. This year, 2 thousand hectares of grain and 3.5 thousand hectares of tobacco fields are being directed towards fruit and vegetable cultivation.

On a new 5.5 thousand hectare area, products intended for export will be grown, including white raisins on 3 thousand hectares, with plans to establish raisin exports worth 80 million dollars. Additionally, industrialized vineyards will be established on 500 hectares of foothill areas in Urgut, and it is proposed to distribute 10 hectares to the population.

In Ishtikhon district, similar vineyards are planned to be established on 2 thousand hectares of hillside areas. To supply water to these lands, it is planned to drill 50 artesian wells and install 15–20 kilowatt solar panels on them, with a budget of 30 billion soums allocated for this purpose.

Source: One.uz