The Secrets Behind the Abundant Grape Harvests in Çärjew District
The tenant-gardeners of the “Jeýhun” farmers’ association in Çärjew district rely on years of experience and well-tested practices when it comes to cultivating grapevines alongside various fruit trees and achieving abundant harvests. The team of tenant farmers led by Halmämmet Saparow is well-known not only in the district but also throughout the entire Lebap province.
Many experienced gardeners work here. One of them, Mükkerem Açilowa, says she has been involved in viticulture since 1989. Currently, care is provided for 1 hectare of grapevines in accordance with seasonal agrotechnical requirements, and Mükkerem’s profession is being successfully continued by her apprentices.
— Yes, we have dozens of experienced gardeners who know viticulture very well. Out of the 62 hectares allocated to our team of tenant-gardeners specialized in horticulture, 31 hectares are occupied by grapevines. The rest is planted with apricots, plums, quince, and apple orchards. Our team consists of 70 tenant-gardeners, and each year we achieve high results from our vineyards. As the saying goes, "A father's trade is an honest inheritance for his son," many of our gardeners come from families of horticulturists. For several years now, Myrat Öräýew has been taking care of 1 hectare of grapevines and learned the intricate techniques of viticulture from his father, Rejepbay. Rejepbay worked in horticulture for 34 years and trained many apprentices. One of them, Emirjan Saparow, has been involved in grape growing for 25 years and continues to achieve excellent results — explains team leader Halmämmet Saparow.
Another well-known and experienced gardener in the group, Mamurjan Jumayew, has been working in viticulture since 1990. He learned the specifics of grapevine care from his brother Narbay. Currently, he has 1,250 grapevines of various types in his vineyard.
— Right now, on my 1-hectare lease, I grow five varieties of grapes that yield early, mid-season, and late harvests. A foreign variety called "Awatar" is also being tested. This grape has a unique taste similar to banana and strawberry. In the future, we hope to increase the variety of grapes, adapting them to local soil and climate conditions — says Mamurjan Jumayew.
He adds that he propagates vines using vegetative (cutting) methods and applies 350 kg of superphosphate, up to 200 kg of potassium fertilizers, and about 10 tons of well-decomposed organic manure per hectare. According to him, grapevine pruning is carried out during the winter, in January–February.
— The Charjew District Committee of the Agrarian Party of Turkmenistan and the district branch of the Trade Unions of Turkmenistan play an active role in encouraging our hard work and promoting nationwide initiatives. Leading gardeners receive certificates of honor and incentive gifts from these organizations. In the future, we will continue contributing to the development of viticulture in our country with full dedication. We sincerely thank our Hero Arkadag and Heroic Leader Arkadagly Serdar for continuously caring about the development of Turkmen villages and for creating wide opportunities for farmers to harvest abundantly and prosper through honest labor — expressed Mamurjan Jumayew with heartfelt appreciation.
