President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov made a working trip to Baharly Etrap in Ahal Velayat. In the early morning the President’s helicopter landed nearby a field of Archman farmers association. Vice Premier M. Akmammedov supervising agricultural sector, Ahal Velayat Khyakim and the agricultural senior officials greeted the Turkmen leader.

Greeting and thanking those present for the heartfelt welcome the President talked to the elders about the local people’s concerns and living conditions. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov assured that the Government would keep attaching paramount importance to the citizens’ welfare, development of national economy, creation of the modern social and economic infrastructure in rural areas to guarantee the high living standards and comfortable conditions for the people’s productive labour, everyday life and recreation.

The strategic goals of Turkmenistan’s new economic policy include bringing such an important sector of national economy as agriculture at a qualitatively new level so that it would be highly profitable and bring economic benefits to both state and farmers. To bring up the real masters of their own land whose matter of life and vocation would be care for ploughed fields – an ultimate objective of the agricultural reform initiated by the President of Turkmenistan. The reform stipulates for taking the effective measures to ensure stable growth of production of grain, cotton and other agricultural crops in the country, to guarantee the abundance on domestic food market.

The Ahal Velayat rich in natural resources and fertile arable lands plays an important role in fulfilling the designated tasks to increase the effectiveness of the sector and national economy as a whole. The scale of the upcoming reforms is set forth in the 2008-2012 Conception of Ahal Velayat Development approved by the special Resolution of the President and specifying the prospects of this land of plenty. In accordance with the document the solid investments will be made in construction of industrial and agro-processing enterprises, transport and engineering facilities, children’s preschool institutions and secondary school, sports facilities, medical and cultural centres, comfortable apartment houses and other objects of the social infrastructure.

The President made an excursion around the agricultural fields of the Arhcman farmers association being tilled for sowing winter crops. Two dozens of the tractors that had replenished the fleet of agricultural machinery in recent year, lined up at an edge of the field.

The Turkmen leader talked to the machine operators showing keen interest in the technical and performance characteristics of the machines engaged in agricultural works.

In conclusion Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that strengthening the material and technical basis of agro-industrial sector with modern high-powered machines and equipment were the major factors of further dynamic development of agricultural sector. The Turkmen leader said that the Government allocated heavy investments for this purpose purchasing tractors, harvesting combines and other agricultural machines produced by the world’s leading firms and companies. The President said that the specialists’ recommendations would be taken into consideration and informed that a Turkmenistan would purchase a large consignment of agricultural machines, which had proved out under the local social climatic conditions.

Commenting on the reports of the agricultural senior officials and the Ahal Velayat Khyakim on the progress of the seasonal agricultural works Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov demanded that the works should be performed at the high quality level and in compliance with advanced farming techniques. The President demanded that the necessary measure should be taken to harvest ‘white gold’ in time and prepare fields for sowing grain crops.

Summing up the meeting Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized that proper use of land resources, introduction of scientifically based methods of economic management and advanced agrotechnologies were the tasks of priority importance. The President said that to achieve return on investments in agro-industrial production was necessary so far as it was a pledge of the high living standards and the welfare of the Turkmen people and demanded that the senior officials would take strict control of implementation of the plans on comprehensive development of the sector.

Upon concluding the meeting the President wished all those present good health and success in labour.