Exploring the China-Uzbekistan Modern Agricultural Technology Demonstration Park at the SCO Agricultural Base in Uzbekistan

In Uzbekistan’s Syrdarya region, orchard farmer Shakarbekov inspects young Qingzhen apple seedlings.

Recently, reporters visited the China-Uzbekistan Modern Agricultural Technology Demonstration Park, located at the SCO Agricultural Base in Syrdarya, Uzbekistan. With the advancement of China-Uzbekistan relations, agriculture has emerged as a promising area for new opportunities and growth in bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

The park was jointly established in 2021 by China’s Yangling Modern Agriculture International Cooperation Co., Ltd., and Uzbekistan's Pengsheng Industrial Park Development Co., Ltd., and officially opened in October of the same year.

Chen Bing, Deputy General Manager of Yangling Modern Agriculture International Cooperation Co., Ltd., stated that the park facilitates the overseas incubation of agricultural projects, promoting the “going out” of new domestic crop varieties, agricultural technologies, machinery, and tools, as well as the “return flow” of products from overseas parks. This initiative also supports cross-border farming and provides a platform for technology demonstration, trade, and capacity cooperation for Chinese agricultural enterprises.

Covering an area of 3,500 mu (approximately 233 hectares), the China-Uzbekistan Modern Agricultural Technology Demonstration Park has established 108 mu (7.2 hectares) of modern greenhouses, a 1,000 mu (67 hectares) drip-irrigation grape demonstration park, and a 1,260 mu (84 hectares) new crop variety demonstration plot. In addition to cultivating various crops, the park is committed to promoting water-saving irrigation techniques. Uzbek farmer Uzebekov, a cotton grower in the park, shared, "I now use drip irrigation to water my cotton, allowing water to reach the roots directly, which saves both time and water while reducing labor. Since working in the park, my income has doubled."

Qiao Wen, head of the Uzbekistan subsidiary of Yangling Modern Agriculture International Cooperation Co., Ltd., mentioned that the park has introduced high-quality seedlings from China for trial planting, adapting them to local climate and soil conditions. Recently, 6,000 high-quality Qingzhen apple seedlings from Shaanxi Province were successfully delivered to the park and planted.

Shakarbekov, a 29-year-old orchard farmer in the park, explained that Uzbekistan is a key apple producer in Central Asia with favorable climate and soil conditions. However, limited technology and varieties have constrained local apple yields. "The quality of the apple seedlings imported from China is excellent. We have planted 6,000 trees from 11 premium varieties. In the future, we plan to expand the orchard and hire more people. The orchard has created new job opportunities and increased incomes."

In December 2022, the China (Shaanxi) Commodity Trading Center for the SCO Agricultural Base was inaugurated in Tashkent. Agricultural products from the park will be sold through this center, creating a production and sales chain within Uzbekistan. Chen Bing remarked that the trading center has already brought together over 100 unique products from Shaanxi, including agricultural machinery, irrigation equipment, Shaanxi millet, and southern Shaanxi tea. Serving as a vital platform for exchanges between China and SCO countries, the center fosters deeper connections between Chinese goods and markets in Central Asia. Shakarbekov expressed, “I am happy to work with my Chinese colleagues, where I learn new knowledge and techniques. My life is getting better every day.”

Source:

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