Since the start of 2025, Tajikistan has exported over 30,000 tons of cotton fiber to Iran, accounting for 83.6% of the country’s total cotton exports, according to Asiaplus.tj. The shipments, worth $45.7 million, have cemented Iran’s position as Dushanbe’s key partner in agricultural trade, First Deputy Head of the Export Agency Khurshed Zuhurzoda said.
Zuhurzoda noted that the surge in shipments is driven by a raw material shortage in Iran’s textile industry. While the country’s annual demand stands at around 180,000 tons, domestic production meets only 70,000–80,000 tons, with imports covering the gap. Tajik cotton is prized for its quality and geographic proximity.
Between January and June 2025, Tajikistan exported 36,300 tons of cotton worth $54.6 million. Other buyers included Russia ($4M), Turkey ($1.97M), Pakistan ($1.1M), and China ($286K).
The Ministry of Agriculture reports that as of November 2024, Tajikistan had harvested just over 163,000 tons of cotton, with this year’s yield expected to reach about 390,000 tons.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
August 11, 2025