Uzbekistan has announced plans to increase the share of automated cotton harvesting to 70% in 2026, as part of a broader push to modernize its agricultural sector and enhance productivity.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said the country intends to procure 800 additional cotton-picking machines this year, alongside 6,000 units of seeders, tractors and combine harvesters to accelerate mechanization across cotton-growing regions.
According to an official statement, around 10,000 units of agricultural machinery will be purchased in total during the year, raising the country’s machinery fleet to approximately 292,000 units. The level of mechanization in Uzbekistan’s agriculture has already reached 81 percent, reflecting sustained investment in modern equipment over recent years.
In the past few years, Uzbekistan has acquired 1,756 cotton-picking machines, lifting the proportion of machine-harvested cotton to 52%. In the previous harvest season alone, about 2.1 million tons of cotton were collected using automated pickers.
The government plans to mobilize $400 million in financing from international financial institutions to support farmers in acquiring new machinery. Under the proposed scheme, tractors and combine harvesters will be made available on a 10-year lease at an 18% interest rate in local currency, with the first two years interest-free. Additionally, the state will subsidize 8% of the interest rate to reduce the financial burden on farmers.
Uzbekistan, one of the world’s major cotton producers and exporters, has been steadily reforming its cotton sector in recent years, focusing on mechanization, improved labor standards and value-added textile production. The latest initiative is expected to further reduce reliance on manual labor, improve harvesting efficiency and strengthen the country’s competitiveness in global cotton markets.
