Cotton Season: What a Traveller Sees in the Fields in Autumn

In autumn, driving south from Tashkent along Uzbekistan's roads, at some point the fields on both sides turn white, as if snow had fallen. This is cotton: the "white gold" of the country, which defined its economy and history throughout the 20th century. For a traveller the cotton season is not a tourist attraction, but a chance to understand what the country lived on and still lives on.

A little history

Cotton has been grown in Central Asia since antiquity, but a true monoculture took shape in the 20th century, when under the USSR the republic became the main supplier of raw material for the textile industry. Irrigation, canals and the expansion of crop areas changed the landscape. The best-known and heaviest trace of this history is the drying of the Aral Sea, linked to the fact that water from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya went to irrigate fields. Today the authorities are reducing the share of cotton, developing in-country processing and the textile sector, and shifting part of the land to other crops.

When the season is

Cotton is sown in spring, blooms in summer, and the bolls open in late summer. Harvesting usually runs from late August and September to October or November, depending on region and weather. The best time to see white fields and the work is September and October.

Where to look

Syrdarya and Jizzakh regions

The fields of Mirzachul, the steppe area south of Tashkent, are well visible from the window on the way south. Cotton is grown here on large irrigated lands. On the road to Gulistan you often meet fields, tractors and harvesting machines. The Tashkent to Gulistan route is about 120 km and takes 1.5 to 2 hours, and in September and October it is one of the most convenient ways to see cotton fields without going far from the capital.

Kashkadarya

One of the largest cotton regions in the country. The road from Qarshi to Tashkent runs through Samarkand and Jizzakh; along stretches of the highway you see fields on both sides. The Qarshi to Tashkent route is about 480 to 500 km and takes 6 to 7 hours, and in autumn you pass dozens of kilometres of cotton fields.

Other regions

Cotton is grown in Khorezm, Bukhara, Surkhandarya and Fergana regions and in Karakalpakstan. Each region looks different, from oases to endless steppe expanses.

What harvesting looks like

Once cotton was picked by hand, and this mobilised huge numbers of people. Today reforms are under way: combine harvesters are widely used, and the use of forced labour has been condemned and reduced, as the authorities and international organisations have repeatedly stated. Still, on some fields, particularly small plots, you can see pickers. If you see people in the fields, do not photograph them without permission and do not disturb the work.

What you may see:

• white fields with open bolls;
• harvesters crawling along the rows;
• tractors with huge trailers loaded with cotton;
• cotton collection points with mountains of raw material;
• ginneries and textile enterprises along the roads;
• drying yards where cotton lies before being sent for processing.

What happens to cotton next

The harvested raw cotton is taken to ginneries, where fibre is separated from seeds. Yarn is made from the fibre, then fabrics and clothing. The seeds give oil, meal and other products. The country is developing textile clusters and exporting finished goods, not just raw material. You can buy locally made cotton goods at bazaars and shops: T-shirts, fabrics, bedding and socks.

How to look ethically

1. Ask permission. Do not photograph people and machinery without permission, especially workers.
2. Do not enter fields uninvited. It is someone's work and someone's land.
3. Do not take bolls from the field. Ask the owner whether you may take a few as a keepsake.
4. Do not stand on the roadway. Stop at a safe spot for photos.
5. Respect the workers. Do not comment on working conditions or ask sensitive questions without reason.

Practical tips

• Dust. During harvest there is a lot of dust on roads and fields, so bring a scarf or face mask.
• Allergies. If you are allergic to pollen or dust, bring medication.
• Photos. The best light is early morning and before sunset. White against a blue sky looks striking.
• Stops. Ask the driver to stop at a safe place, not on the highway.
• Clothing. Closed shoes are useful if you walk along the field edge.

Getting there

The easiest way to see cotton fields is from a car window, and you do not have to travel specially for it. In the Yo'ldosh app, drivers publish trips in advance; you choose a time, book a seat and see a verified profile. On the road to Gulistan and Qarshi you pass cotton districts, and if you want a short stop for photos, ask the driver beforehand. For trips across Kashkadarya and to Tashkent there is the Qarshi to Tashkent route, and for a short trip north there is the Tashkent to Gulistan route.

What else to see on the way

• Gulistan, Syrdarya and Yangiyer: steppe towns;
• Jizzakh and the Gagarin district;
• Samarkand, if you are travelling from Qarshi;
• Shahrisabz and Kitab in Kashkadarya;
• roadside stalls selling melons, watermelons and grapes.

Bottom line

Cotton is part of Uzbek history and landscape, and white fields in autumn are a memorable sight. Look with respect, photograph carefully and ask permission. Choose your road on the pages for Tashkent to Gulistan or Qarshi to Tashkent.

Cover photo: Jamshid Nurkulov, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.