On April 11, the Founder of Peace and National Unity – Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Honorable Emomali Rahmon, visited the educational-experimental zone «Palos» of Khujand State University named after academician Bobojon Ghafurov in Bobojon Ghafurov district, and took part in the construction of an intensive orchard of apricots, cherries and grapevines.

Honorable Leader of the Nation Emomali Rahmon wished success to the working community of Khujand State University named after academician Bobojon Ghafurov by planting vine saplings in the educational-experimental zone «Palos».

Also here, new and modern machinery and equipment, which is designed for processing between orchards and vineyards, was presented to the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon.

We remind that, based on the instructions of the Head of State, more than 920 agricultural machinery units with spare parts were previously provided to the needy farms of all cities and districts of Sughd Province. Among the small tractors, there are also modern technical means for growing rice, and the technical options of other industrial machines are also suitable for the needs of farmers.

It is important to emphasize that the educational-experimental zone «Palos» of Khujand State University was established in 1959 in the rural community named after Dadoboy Kholmatov, Bobojon Ghafurov district, and its total area is 25.96 hectares.

Currently, more than 10,000 fruit-bearing and decorative plants and bushes are growing in the region. Here, apricot, quince, pomegranate, peach, almond, fig, cherry, plum, vine, etc. trees are grown in separate fields. Also, vegetables, including potatoes, onions, carrots, turnips, beets, pumpkins, and leguminous products are grown on relatively small plots for experiments.

Honorable Head of State Emomali Rahmon, while familiarizing himself with the agrarian potential of this area, interpreted the initiative of officials of Khujand State University on the restoration of old gardens as important and timely. Because over many years, the trees of this garden became less productive and were almost not included in agrotechnical processing.

In order to implement the instructions of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, carry out measures within the State Program for the Development of Horticulture and the implementation of the agricultural policy of the Government of the country, in 2023, 2,500 grape vines of the «Presidential», «Shohona», «Avatar», «Ghalaba» and «Tagobi» white and black varieties were brought from the «Boghi Somon» vineyards of Tursunzoda city and planted on an area of 5.5 hectares.

At the beginning of March 2024, 1,700 apricot seedlings of the «Mirsanjili», «Nishoni» and «Silver-gold» varieties were planted in this area on an area of 1.4 hectares.

It is worth noting that every year in Sughd Province, as part of the implementation of state programs, new orchards and vineyards are built, old orchards and vineyards are restored, and the volume of fruit production is increased by timely implementation of agrotechnical measures. The increase in the area of new orchards and vineyards in the region can be seen mainly during the last 5-6 years.

According to the information of the Department of Agriculture of the province, by April 1, 2024, 113 hectares of new gardens, including 23 hectares of intensive gardens, have been built in the territory of Sughd Province. In the same period, a new vineyard was built on the area of 4 hectares. In 2024, restoration of old orchards on 788 hectares and old vineyards on 111 hectares was completed. The apricot orchards of the region reach 51 thousand hectares, of which 35 thousand 500 hectares are productive. Last year, fruit production reached 222 thousand 521 tons. Apricot production was 157 thousand 186 tons, which is 101 thousand 339 tons more than in 2022.

There are 13 thousand 661 hectares of vineyards in all cities and districts of Sughd Province, of which 12 thousand 531 hectares are productive. It was reported that the total area of gardens in all sectors of the economy is 76 thousand 860 hectares, of which 57 thousand 240 hectares are productive. The area of seed orchards is 13 thousand 770 hectares and the area of stone fruit orchards is 58 thousand 920 hectares.

At the same time, it was informed that the main purpose of the activity of the educational-experimental zone «Palos» of Khujand State University is to increase the practical knowledge of undergraduates and graduate students, degree seekers and young researchers and to apply theory in practice, to strengthen cooperation between science and production, and provide good practice conditions for students of the faculties of biology — chemistry, geoecology and tourism, visual arts and design, and classes in the subjects of botany, zoology, biology, basics of agriculture.

The harvest obtained from the garden and cultivated land is used to meet the social needs of labor veterans, orphaned and abandoned students, students with disability, teachers and employees.

Honorable Leader of the Nation, Emomali Rahmon, during a conversation with the management and teachers and employees of the University, instructed them to pay attention to improving the quality of scientific education, as well as to take measures to pay tribute to the gardening traditions of the Tajik nation and to attract young people to hard work.