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THE SOVIET UNION'S POLICY OF ONE-SIDED DEVELOPMENT OF
UZBEKISTAN'S AGRICULTURE THROUGH COTTON CROP
Choriyev Fazliddin Nasriddinovich
O‘zbekiston Milliy universiteti tadqiqotchisi
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15581108
Annotation:
This article examines the Soviet Union's policy of one-sided
development of Uzbek agriculture through cotton cultivation and its
consequences.
Keywords:
cotton belt, food shortage, water shortage, large irrigation
projects, textile industry, monoculture farming, long-term environmental and
economic problems.
The Soviet Union implemented a centralized, one-sided agricultural policy
in Uzbekistan, forcing the republic to specialize in cotton production at the
expense of other crops and economic diversification. This approach made
Uzbekistan the USSR's main cotton supplier, but it created long-term economic
and ecological imbalances. The USSR designated Uzbekistan as the Soviet
Union's "cotton belt" and required it to allocate up to 70% of its irrigated
agricultural land to cotton. Food crops (wheat, fruits, vegetables) were
neglected, leading to a local food shortage despite the high cotton yield. Moscow
established strict production quotas, requiring collective farms to deliver a set
amount of cotton to the state. Purchase prices were artificially low, ensuring that
profits went to the Soviet central budget, not to Uzbek farmers.
The Soviet Union's large-scale irrigation projects (such as canals diverting
the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers) were built to grow cotton. This led to
environmental disasters, including the shrinking of the Aral Sea, soil salinization,
and water shortages. “Uzbekistan, having become the main cotton base of the
Union, took a leading position among the Soviet republics in this regard. The
republic ranked third in gross cotton production after the United States and
China. Uzbekistan accounted for 80% of the cotton exported from the USSR
abroad” . During the Soviet era, Uzbekistan emerged as the USSR's primary
cotton-growing base and played a key role in the Union's agricultural and
economic policies. By the mid- to late 20th century, the republic had become the
leading cotton producer among all Soviet republics, supplying a significant
portion of the USSR's cotton needs. Uzbekistan ranked third in the world in
cotton production. The republic accounted for more than 70% of the Soviet
Union's total cotton production, making it the backbone of the country's textile
industry. Uzbekistan accounted for 80% of the USSR's cotton exports, supplying
raw materials to Eastern Bloc countries and international markets.
THEORETICAL ASPECTS IN THE FORMATION OF
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Due to the Soviet-era monoculture farming policy, Uzbekistan's economy
often became dependent on cotton at the expense of other crops and
environmental sustainability. Large irrigation projects, such as the diversion of
the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, were implemented to support cotton
farming and led to environmental problems such as the Aral Sea tragedy. After
World War II, the Soviet government implemented a series of policies aimed at
restoring and expanding cotton cultivation in Uzbekistan, which had suffered
from labor shortages, resource depletion, and damage to infrastructure during
the war years. It adopted a resolution “On the Plan and Measures for the
Restoration and Further Development of Cotton Cultivation in Uzbekistan in
1946-1953” . The Soviet state prioritized cotton over food crops, deepening
Uzbekistan's economic dependence on this single commodity. The construction
of the Great Fergana Canal improved water distribution but created long-term
environmental stress.
The USSR increased mandatory supply quotas, leaving a small surplus for
domestic consumption. By 1950, Uzbekistan had surpassed prewar cotton
production, helping the USSR meet its industrial needs. Uzbekistan consolidated
its position as the Soviet Union's largest cotton supplier, accounting for more
than 70% of total output. Over-irrigation led to soil salinization and water
depletion, leading to the Aral Sea crisis. Food shortages were exacerbated by the
neglect of grain and vegetable production. Harsh working conditions, including
child labor during harvests and forced labor, became systemic. This period was
the peak of Soviet cotton dominance in Uzbekistan, and the beginning of long-
term environmental and economic problems that persisted even after
independence.
During the Soviet era, the Uzbek cotton industry made a significant
contribution to the economy of the USSR. “Every year, the sale of cotton
products brought the union budget 5 billion soums” . This large revenue stream
demonstrated Uzbekistan's important role as the Soviet Union's main cotton
supplier. The annual 5 billion soums earned from Uzbek cotton helped finance
Soviet industrialization, infrastructure projects, and other Union-wide
expenditures. A significant portion of this revenue went to cotton exports, as
Uzbekistan supplied 80% of the USSR's cotton exports, mainly to Eastern Bloc
countries and world markets. The Soviet state set fixed purchase prices for
cotton, often below world market rates, and ensured high returns to the central
budget at the expense of Uzbek farmers. As Uzbekistan was forced to prioritize
cotton over other crops, the republic became economically dependent on this
THEORETICAL ASPECTS IN THE FORMATION OF
PEDAGOGICAL SCIENCES
International scientific-online conference
7
sector, while local fiscal revenues were restored. Despite bringing billions in
revenue to Moscow, much of the revenue was diverted to other Soviet republics,
and Uzbekistan's industry and infrastructure remained underdeveloped.
Intensive irrigation for cotton led to water scarcity, soil degradation, and the
drying up of the Aral Sea.
In short, cotton harvesting relied on mass mobilization, including forced
labor (students, community workers) and child labor in the Soviet and post-
Soviet eras. Workers endured low wages and harsh conditions without much
benefit from their labor. The bulk of the textile industry took place outside
Uzbekistan, which remained a supplier of raw materials.
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