Tajikistan has emerged as a leader in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) for organic farming. Agricultural products grown in Tajikistan are considered the cleanest from an environmental perspective among CIS countries.
According to Food and Agriculture Organization data, 1.4% of Tajikistan's arable land is dedicated to organic farming. Moldova uses 1.3% of its arable land for organic agriculture, while other countries have less than 1%: Azerbaijan at 0.8%, Ukraine at 0.6%, Kyrgyzstan at 0.3%, Georgia at 0.2%, Russia and Belarus at 0.1% each, Kazakhstan at 0.05%, Armenia at 0.04%, and Uzbekistan at 0.01%.
The percentage of land dedicated to organic production in Tajikistan has increased from 0.07% in 2008 to 1.4% in 2023. Among the main organic crops are apricots, peanuts, tomatoes, corn, and others.
When cultivating these crops using organic methods, an average of 30% less energy is used, more water is retained in the soil, erosion is reduced, soil quality is maintained, and more biological resources are preserved compared to conventional farming practices.
The only drawback of organic farming is the higher cost of products labelled "organic." Despite this, many consumers are willing to pay more for healthy, high-quality food products.
Source: asiaplustj.info