Agriculture in Turkmenistan

[3] Citrus fruits, dates, figs, melons, pomegranates, olives, and sugarcane are grown in some parts of the country.

[4] Animal husbandry is important, despite the arid climate, which presents difficulties in producing sufficient livestock feed.

The largest subsector is sheep herding (usually of the Karakul breed) which are primarily raised for wool and skins.

Production of major field crops, such as cotton and wheat, is predominantly by state order, in accordance with central planning.

So-called “peasant associations” (Turkmen: daýhan birlişigi) were summarily organized by presidential decree in place of the traditional collective and state farms, and each association was instructed to parcel out its large fields to individual leaseholders (typically heads of families).

The allocation of land use rights typically involves assignment of annual production targets in cotton and wheat.

Leaseholders receive land use rights from the state through the intermediation of the local peasant association (the lease term is usually 5–10 years).

On the other hand, if the farmer fails to achieve satisfactory results, the land may be confiscated by the state, even if it has the status of private ownership.