Tajikistan celebrates the Tirgon festival with a focus on apricot

Dushanbe – The capital of Tajikistan came alive this weekend as people gathered to celebrate the Tirgon festival, one of the country’s most cherished seasonal traditions. This year’s festivities were made even more special with the apricot festival and an exhibition dedicated to “Dried fruits of Tajikistan,” highlighting the nation’s agricultural heritage and showcasing the apricot as a symbol of pride and progress.

Tirgon is one of Tajikistan’s oldest festivals, celebrated alongside Navruz, Mehrgon and Sada. Revived and preserved in recent decades thanks to the vision and leadership of President Emomali Rahmon, the festival is a celebration of nature, abundance and cultural traditions that connect generations.

The Tirgon festival attracted wide participation from across the country. Senior government officials, regional authorities, farmers, and local residents gathered to take part in the event. The president’s congratulatory message was delivered during the ceremony, underscoring the importance of preserving national traditions while embracing innovation in agriculture.

At the heart of the celebration was the apricot — a fruit deeply rooted in Tajikistan’s culture, economy and cuisine. Visitors explored a wide variety of fresh and dried apricot products, along with other dried fruits, agricultural crops and examples of scientific innovation in farming.

Cultural activities at the festival. © Ministry of Agriculture, Tajikistan 

Tajikistan is one of the world’s leading producers of apricots, with around 10 percent of global orchards located within its borders. Its mountainous terrain and dry climate provide ideal growing conditions. Beyond their sweet taste and cultural significance, apricots are an economic lifeline for many rural communities. Given their short shelf life, farmers have developed age-old techniques for drying the fruit, as well as producing jams, juices and preserves to reduce waste and reach new markets.

Outstanding contributors to the agricultural sector were recognized during the event with certificates, diplomas and awards from the Ministry of Agriculture, while a cultural programme of music and dance added energy to the day’s celebrations.

Apricot is the product that Tajikistan has selected to promote through the FAO’s One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) initiative. In this context, President Emomali Rahmon met with FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu at FAO headquarters in Rome last year in April to explore ways to deepen collaboration in support of sustainable agriculture. During that meeting, the president presented an apricot tree from Tajikistan to be planted in FAO Park — a symbolic gesture reflecting the country’s engagement in the OCOP initiative and its growing partnership with FAO. An exhibition of apricot products from Tajikistan was also organized at FAO headquarters, offering visitors a chance to experience the country’s apricot-based goods.

Tajikistan is working to strengthen the entire apricot value chain — from production and storage to processing and international marketing. The goal is to create more income opportunities for farmers, reduce food loss and boost the country’s standing in global agrifood markets.

FAO Director-General and the President of the Republic visit the apricot product exhibition at FAO headquarters(left) and interact with the Tajik staff working in the United Nations Rome-based Agencies (RBAs). ©FAO/Giuseppe Carotenuto