The Second Uzbek International Cotton Fair was held in Tashkent from 17th through 18th of October.

Representatives of the large textile enterprises and trade companies from various countries of the world have participated in it.

The international cotton fair was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade of Uzbekistan with the assistance of International consulting committee on cotton and ?Cotton Outlook? magazine.

Minister of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade of Uzbekistan Elyor Ganiev addressed a closing ceremony of the fair.

He said that this fair is logical continuation of last year?s First International Cotton Fair initiated by Uzbekistan?s President Islam Karimov with the aim to establish long-term partnership with the consumers of our cotton fiber and create transparent mechanism for its sale. The basic purpose of the fair is to promote highly branded Uzbek cotton into the world market.

According to the preliminary results, during the first two days of the fair export contracts and agreements totaling for about 1.7 million tonnes of cotton fiber have been signed, 600 thousand tonnes of which is the crop of 2006 and the rest is that of upcoming two years. Last year?s similar indicator equaled to 1,1 million tonnes. Current growth in fiber purchase indicates to our partners? intention towards long-term cooperation. The largest contracts were signed with the companies from China, UAE, Singapore, Bangladesh, Republic of Korea and Russian Federation.

The number of participants at the current fair increased along with the expansion of the geography of the purchasing countries. Thus, 169 representatives of cotton business from 30 countries have visited Tashkent in 2005 while this year over 250 businessmen from 36 countries of the world have arrived to Uzbekistan.

In Uzbekistan all necessary conditions are created to sell domestic fibers on international standards. Up-to-date technologies and types of payment are being implemented on all levels, new and the most appropriate transport corridors are being worked out and built.

A number of prestigious experts have participated in the fair. They confirmed the data not only about the high quality of Uzbek fiber, but also the dynamic development of cotton industry meeting all market changes and concrete requirements of consumers. Chief Editor of the ?Cotton Outlook? R.Butler said that henceforth his magazine will regularly publish price rates for Uzbek cotton assisting foreign partners to be familiar with the pricing in this sphere.

Participants of the fair have visited the Cotton Plant named after the 5th Anniversary of the Independence of Uzbekistan and the Cotton Terminal ?Tashkent-Tola? in the Tashkent region and got familiarized with their activity. They have also participated in demonstrative trade sessions at the Uzbek Republican Commodity Exchange.