New market opens for local hazelnut
By Rashid Shirinov
Every year, Azerbaijani hazelnuts, which are the second most exported product of the country’s agriculture, conquer new markets around the world. Azerbaijan’s Azhazelnut company has signed a contract with an UAE company at the Gulfood 2018 exhibition in Dubai.
The contract envisages the export of 40 tons of blanched hazelnuts to the UAE, Azerbaijani Economy Ministry informed on February 21.
During the exhibition, the proposals were also discussed to create a distribution network for the export of Azerbaijan’s dairy and confectionery products to Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and the UAE.
Azerbaijan is represented by 23 companies at the Gulfood 2018 exhibition, which kicked off on February 18 and will last until February 22.
The country, ranking fifth in the world for hazelnuts exports, is one of the few countries with appropriate weather conditions for hazelnut cultivation. This allows Azerbaijan to produce about 40,000-50,000 tons of in-shell hazelnuts annually.
Several varieties of hazelnuts, such as Atababa, Ashrafli, Ghalib, Ganja, Sachagly, Topgara and Yagly, are cultivated in Azerbaijan. Many of the country's hazelnut orchards are situated in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains in the regions of Gakh, Zagatala and Balakan.
Azerbaijan makes up 4 percent of world hazelnut production. The country's revenue from hazelnut exports exceeded $100 million in 2017. The permanent clients of national hazelnuts are Russia, Germany, Italy, France, Poland, Ukraine, Belarus and Baltic countries.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
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