Draft strategy for agro-industrial complex development prepared
By Aynur Jafarova
Azerbaijan's Agriculture Ministry has presented to the Presidential Administration a draft strategy for the development of the agro-industrial complex in the country.
The news was announced by the ministry on June 17.
The document was prepared in the framework of fulfillment of a presidential order 'on adopting additional measures to develop agriculture and the food market'.
The ministry has also developed a strategy to develop a number of agricultural sectors which have been developing traditionally in Azerbaijan, such as cotton growing and others.
"The document reflects the current state of various fields, goals and objectives, development measures, as well as results expected in the long term," Agriculture Minister Heydar Asadov told Trend Agency earlier.
The agricultural sector is important not only for increasing Azerbaijan's export potential, but also for restoring and protecting the country's food security. Protecting the quality and price of food stuff produced in Azerbaijan and producing them in accordance with quality standards are among the top issues of the country's food security.
Azerbaijan is meeting the population's demands for meat products by 90 percent, poultry meat by 81 percent, eggs by 80 percent, dairy products by 75 percent, vegetable oil by 65 percent, and butter by 50 percent through local production.
As a result of the measures conducted in Azerbaijan to ensure food security, the production of husbandry goods has increased by 3.1 times, cattle-breeding by 3.4 times, meat production by 1.6 times, and grain production by 1.4 times in the past 10 years.
Since the beginning of 2014, over 470 harvesters and other agricultural machinery have been imported to the country. All these machinery were produced in Europe.
Azerbaijan's State Statistics Committee said the volume of agricultural production amounted to over 1.128 billion manats in January-May 2014, which is 2.7 percent more compared to the same period of 2013.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed an order on extra support for agricultural producers on June 4. The document envisages providing the agricultural producers with grain harvest combines.
Under the order, the Agrolizing Open Joint Stock Company has been allocated 15 million manats from the Azerbaijani President's Reserve Fund, as provided in the State Budget for 2014.