Irrigation network to cover 1,800 acres of pre-monsoon long-staple cotton in Thazi Tsp

The Department of Agriculture in Thazi Township, Mandalay Region has planned to grow 1,800 acres of long-staple cotton for the pre-monsoon season with the irrigation water supply and that project is being undertaken, said Daw Moe Moe Ngwe, an officer of the department said.
Those cotton acres are being implemented with water supply by the irrigation network starting from 20 February 2022 and over 900 acres have been cultivated. The remaining is slated to complete by the end of March.
“Cotton is one of the major crops in Central Myanmar. It’s a lucrative crop due to market stability and high price. It can produce up to over 550 visses of cotton (a viss equals 1.6 kilogrammes) per acre. For monsoon and late monsoon seasons, the yield is estimated at over 340 visses per acre. Every cotton grower aims to meet a yield target of over 500 visses an acre. The prices of cotton range between K1,500 and K2,200 per viss. At present, it’s offered K1,700 per viss in the domestic market. The growers in Thazi Township commonly choose cotton crops and they endeavour to maintain quality standards and crop development,” Daw Moe Moe Ngwe was quoted as saying.
Additionally, the department is striving to carry out seed farms for the pre-monsoon season. Those seeds will fulfil the requirements of cotton seeds for the 2022-2023 late monsoon season. The cotton is cultivated throughout the monsoon, pre-monsoon and late monsoon season. Last year, over 7,000 acres of long-staple cotton were cultivated in the monsoon and late monsoon periods. — Maung Aye Chan/GNLM