Uzbekistan citizens touring local ag sites

Growing country researching private farming

MOSES LAKE — It's a long trip from Uzbekistan to Moses Lake.

The Big Bend Economic Development Council has been hosting three representatives from the central Asian country this week.

In the process of their arrival, Abdumalik "Malik" Kertaev, Yorkin "Jan" Mastankhodjaev and Alisher "Ali" Parpikhodjaev were on a 17-hour flight from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, to New York City, had a 17-hour layover, and then took a 6-hour flight to Seattle before arriving in Moses Lake.

"We are representatives of the Association of Farmers of Uzbekistan," Kertaev explained. He is a consultant for the Association, while Mastankhodjaev is an Association regional branch representative and Parpikhodjaev is a private farmer.

The representatives contacted Big Bend Economic Development Council executive director Bill Riley, and asked him to arrange a tour to visit private farmers and private processors of the county.

Riley said that bringing the Uzbekistan residents to the area has been ongoing for four months. The U.S. Embassy was closed for a while, and a fourth man was originally scheduled to accompany Kertaev, Mastankhodjaev and Parpikhodjaev, but he had prior obligations.

"Our objectives are to see and to study how the farming businesses are going on here," Kertaev said.

The group has already toured several private farms, the J.R. Simplot potato processing plant and talked with farmer credit organizations.

"Because we are generating a system of farmer crediting in Uzbekistan, we need some experience in developed countries like the USA," Kertaev said. "The banking service specialist gave us very interesting information about their business in this county."

The agenda also includes touring sugar beet and onion processing plants, Grand Coulee Dam, irrigation facilities and agricultural supply stores.

Kertaev said the hope is that the obtained information will be helpful, noting that Uzbekistan is a new country, having declared its independence in 1991, and is pursuing a capitalistic system.

"We used to have no farming, especially private farming, before," he said. "We need any information regarding the private farms … Our country is quite young and we need everything regarding the new types of business in Uzbekistan, especially agriculture, because we have experienced only a socialist economy and it turned out to be inefficient."

The tour's purpose is to find more efficient ways of running business and agriculture, and to transition to a market economy.

Kertaev said that the most interesting thing about visiting Moses Lake is that even in such a small city, one can find anything they need, either at once or in short notice. He said the group was also surprised at the safety of the town, and the ability to go anywhere at any time of day.

"The unique thing about Uzbekistan is its topography, its lay of the land, is very similar to ours," Riley said. "The irrigation systems we have, the way we grow the crops (and) the crops we grow offer some potential for Uzbekistan."

By collaborating with farm bureaus in Uzbekistan, Riley said that country and its farmers can begin to develop their agricultural economy. The BBEDC wants to develop an ongoing interchange relationship with a country to help them develop and acquire required equipment.

In addition, Riley said he is willing to invite one of the teenaged sons or daughters of Parpikhodjaev or Mastankhodjaev to live in his household for a year in Moses Lake and send them to school.

"Their children will be the leaders of tomorrow," Riley said.

"This is only the beginning," Kertaev said. "We hope it will last for many years, and your assistance, the assistance of your Council in particular, will help us at least to define our goals — what should we achieve first? — and to choose the right direction."