TURKMENISTAN'S MARY PROVINCE: FARMERS PRO PRIVATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001068 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON EAGR SOCISZX KPAO TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN'S MARY PROVINCE: FARMERS PRO PRIVATE FARMING; FLEX ALUMNI READY TO LEAVE Classified By: Charge Richard E. Hoagland for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Farmers in Mary expressed their disgruntlement with the government cotton-growing and state-controlled purchasing system, and argued that farming private land would make farmers more prosperous, during a recent post visit to the province. Turkish factories appear to be providing much-needed employment for local citizens and made a great effort to showcase positive employee-employer relations. Meetings with FLEX alumni revealed much optimism, but also a looming reality that most will go abroad again for higher education, raising the question of whether they will want to return to Turkmenistan. EconOff also attended an introductory meeting with First Deputy Governor Khalap Sakhat (septel),and visited a cotton field where farmers harvested using John Deere combines (septel). END SUMMARY. TURKISH-MANAGED FACTORIES SHOW THEIR STUFF ¶2. (SBU) Accompanied by a minder from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a senior official from the Mary province governor's office, EconOff visited two cotton factories on September 28. The Hero of Turkmenistan Gurbansoltan Eje Factory, which the Turkish company, Engin Group, built in 2005, produces cotton cloth. This cloth is exported partly to Dubai but primarily to Turkey, where it is then dyed, printed, and made into clothing. Factory management proudly highlighted the Belgian Beninger and Picanol weaving machines. For quality control, they used Guven Chelik machinery from Turkey. During the tour, managers sought to underscore the priority the factory puts into employee relations: the factory runs a series of shuttle buses for employees, operates a cafeteria for them, provides them with uniforms, and has also installed a shower and changing room for for those ending their shift. The Turkish co-director emphasized his good working relationship with the Turkmen director. ¶3. (SBU) The Beyik Saparmurat Turkmenbashy Factory, located in the "spa" town of Baymurat, produces terrycloth towels for export to countries such as Russia and Italy. They had a contract at one point with the Swedish retail chain Ikea, but did not like working with them because of the need to double tag and specific display requirements. This factory is fully integrated, with dying, cutting, and finishing capabilities. FARMERS STRAIN UNDER STATE CONTROL ¶4. (C) The head of the Ilkinjiler Farmer's Association, who hosted a group of six farmers, offered a different view of life for cotton farmers here than the governor had earlier that day. Jirin, the association head and an IVLP alumna, said that she greatly benefited from the month that she spent in the U.S., and hoped that others would also have such an opportunity. The conversation, however, grew more serious as the group expressed its irritation with "government lies" about the lack of access to international cotton markets for Turkmen cotton. They also claimed that the state wants to convince them that it pays farmers via Turkmenpakhta, the state cotton concern, faster than private commodity buyers could. They said that even private farmers are forced to sell cotton to Turkmenpakhta. Regardless, the farmers would very much like to operate as private farmers, which is not possible at present because all land belongs to the state. (NOTE: Currently, the closest thing to private farming is through dayhans "peasant farms", which are public-private ventures. END NOTE.) They said dayhan farmers yield cotton harvest totals of 3,000-3,500 kilograms per hectare, about 30 percent more than government farmers yield at 1,000-1,500 kilograms per hectare. The farmers unexpectedly asked the officer if they could speak freely, then explained that they were often visited by Committee of National Security (KNB)officers after meetings with Embassy staff. They were ASHGABAT 00001068 002 OF 002 grateful they could meet alone with EmbOff. FLEX STUDENTS AT THE AMERICAN CORNER: EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE, BUT MOSTLY LEAVING ¶5. (SBU) A group of six bright FLEX alumni eagerly discussed their experiences as exchange students with American families. Many of these alumni graduated from Turkmen schools after the ninth grade, and -- especially if they had U.S. high school diplomas -- were not enthusiastic about the option of returning for the newly re-established tenth grade. Because there are no job opportunities in Mary, they spend their time volunteering at the American Corner. One ethnic Armenian girl plans on attending university in Armenia next year, after attending prep classes there. Since she only has nine grades of schooling, her options are limited. Two alumnae plan to apply to American University of Central Asia in Bishkek, and are now preparing for the Test of English as a Foreign Language. Others hope to attend U.S. universities, or the American University in Bulgaria. One young woman who is still in school said that her school and others in Mary will be receiving Internet access in the next month or so. American Corner Advisor Albina Burashnikova got the alumni excited when she mentioned President Berdimuhamedov's recent promise to facilitate the establishment of a U.S. university branch in Turkmenistan. They are hopeful about Turkmenistan's future, and felt positive about President Berdimuhamedov's reforms. They were pleased that someone from the U.S. Embassy wanted to hear their views. ¶6. (SBU) Mary's city center is undergoing significant construction, seemingly to mirror the Ashgabat style of domed, vaguely-Islamic looking buildings. The names of the construction companies appeared also to be different than those currently working all over Ashgabat. This may indicate that authorities are directing attention to the provinces, which would be a welcomed step. There are no indications that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to stop accompanying embassy officers on their visits to the provinces, which unfortunately result in very well-staged events at sites that are visited. The driver, three of the six farmers at the lunch, and reportedly half of the factory employees were fasting during Ramadan, which may indicate a rise in religious observance, or possibly the more conservative nature of provincial, versus urban, residents. ¶7. (SBU) COMMENT: This trip was a good opportunity to get an initial readout on farmer-government relations, as well as local industry and development progress in the provincial capital, but the presence of a Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative at meetings with both local government officials and factory representatives made it challenging to get an accurate and honest perspective from interlocutors, who seemed otherwise positively disposed to talking with an American official. It was likewise unfortunate to learn that FLEX alumni may not be an enduring influence in this developing province, where they have the potential to seed the workforce someday with skilled and educated candidates for management. END COMMENT. HOAGLAND