On October 26, a meeting to advance the “Nine Initiatives” for science‑enabled high‑quality cotton development in Kashgar was held in Makit County, Kashgar, Xinjiang. It was co-organized by the Institute of Cotton Research of CAAS (ICR‑CAAS), the CAAS Science and Technology Assistance Command for Xinjiang, and the Kashgar Prefectural Administrative Office. The meeting reviewed progress in the first year of implementation. Several demonstration fields recorded seed cotton yields above 500 kg per mu, delivering notable income gains for local farmers. More than 50 representatives from Kashgar’s agriculture, science and technology authorities and major cotton‑producing counties attended.

Kashgar is a key commercial cotton base in China, with a stable planting area of around 7 million mu and total output exceeding 1 million tonnes, accounting for roughly 15% of the national total. To tackle local production bottlenecks, ICR‑CAAS and the Kashgar Prefectural Administrative Office jointly issued the Nine Initiatives in December 2025. The package includes dispatching expert teams, upgrading elite cotton varieties and building sci‑tech demonstration parks. Centered on targeted R&D, full‑chain services and institutional support, the framework empowers local cotton industry upgrading.

Since release of the Nine Initiatives, both sides have closely cooperated on strategic consultation, technical training, field guidance, seed multiplication, variety screening, high‑yield trials and cadre secondment, achieving phased results.

“This meeting reviews the first‑year implementation of the Nine Initiatives for Kashgar cotton,” said Fang Song, Deputy Director of ICR‑CAAS. Demonstration plots supported by ICR‑CAAS varieties and matched agronomic techniques show robust growth and stable yields, with multiple fields exceeding 500 kg seed cotton per mu.

In the coming year, ICR‑CAAS will continue implementing the plan. Priorities include deeper integration of research and industry, variety screening, demonstration park construction and smart agriculture deployment. Research will target prominent problems such as high sugar content and high trash rate in cotton. Experts will be assigned to designated zones for tiered training to foster local technical teams. Regular progress reviews at the start and end of each year will be maintained to ensure tangible outcomes.

ICR‑CAAS experts delivered presentations on the breeding and promotion of CCRI 9001, smart cotton cultivation and new yield‑boosting technologies, covering variety deployment, smart cotton fields, precise water‑fertilizer management and green pest control. These provide technical support for optimized variety layout and integrated cultivation practices.

Participants visited demonstration fields in Kumukusar Township, Makit County, showcasing stress‑tolerant high‑yield cultivation and saline‑alkali land high‑yield systems with simultaneous sowing of seed and fertilizer. Delegates noted that these integrated models are easy to learn and replicate, offering a practical template for Kashgar’s variety planning and technology extension.