How did Soviet planned agriculture make Central Asia a major cotton-producing region?

Under Soviet rule, Central Asia was transformed into a major cotton-producing region to supply the U.S.S.R.’s textile industry with raw materials. This shift was driven by a planned economy that prioritized large-scale agricultural development in the southern republics.1

To overcome the region's arid climate, the Soviet government implemented massive irrigation projects, constructing an extensive network of canals—such as the Great Fergana and Vakhsh canals—to divert water from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers. Planners even established new towns specifically to support the production and processing of cotton.1234

However, this rapid development came at a severe cost. The heavy reliance on irrigation and the diversion of river water led to an ecological disaster, most notably the near-total disappearance of the Aral Sea. Furthermore, the intensive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers on cotton fields caused widespread environmental pollution and significant health problems for the local population.132