ITAR-TASS Agency
October 6

The Uzbek government has increased purchase prices for cotton by 60 per cent to meet one of the key demands set by the International Monetary Fund. An Uzbek government spokesman emphasized that Uzbekistan was second in the world in terms of cotton exports. As from now, a tonne of Uzbek cotton will be sold at 1,097 dollars in the world markets.

Uzbekistan plans to collect 3.5m t of raw cotton and produce more than 1m t of cotton fibre this year. Cotton is a valuable raw material, which Uzbekistan exports to more than 20 countries in Europe, Asia and America. The Uzbek Ministry for Foreign Economic Relations reports that cotton exports will account for 25 per cent of all foreign currency revenues to the state budget this year.

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