Uzbekistan’s Cotton Reforms: Persistent State Control Keeps Farmers Vulnerable
The Diplomat reports that Uzbekistan has reduced state-imposed forced labor in cotton picking, yet cotton and wheat production remains tightly state-directed through quotas, land-use constraints, and administratively influenced contracting. A cited 2023–2025 rights report and farmer accounts suggest implementation gaps that sustain coercion risk, financial stress, and contract unpredictability in the agricultural sector.