Lankaran’s rice to be exported under ‘Made in Azerbaijan’ brand
By Aygul Salmanova
In recent years, more attention has been paid to the development of traditional grassland farming in the southern region of Azerbaijan, including the Lankaran region.
Last year, with the participation of the head of state, a rice plant was opened in Lankaran. This enterprise, which is one of the major projects in the region, is now fully functioning, making it easier for the producers to work. The plant has a daily processing capacity of 10 tons and drying capacity of 20 tons.
The enterprise benefits from the advanced technology and experience of countries specializing in rice production.
There is a great need for environmentally sound rice in both domestic and foreign markets, according to the director of the plant Emin Jabizade.
“There is a great demand for the rice produced in Lankaran. We are negotiating to export our products to foreign markets under the ‘Made in Azerbaijan’ brand,” he said.
Construction of the rice plant in Lankaran started on November of the year 2016 and was completed on August of 2017.
The plant occupies a total area of 225 hectares. The rice paddies occupy an area of 35 hectares, which will be expanded by 27.5 hectares in the following years.
Rice farming is being developed in Girdani, Veravul, Urga, Siyavar, Hirkan, Kholmili, Shikhakaran, Mamusta, Separadi and other villages of Lankaran.
The monthly processing capacity of the plant is 300 tons while the drying capacity reaches 900 tons.
In recent years, rice growing in Azerbaijan is developing at a rapid pace. If a few years ago rice growing was considered a labor-intensive industry, the villagers had great difficulties in sowing and harvesting, today it is fully mechanized. New technologies used in rice growing make this industry attractive and profitable. A large number of harvesting and sowing equipment are brought to the regions where rice growing is reviving.
Rice is a moisture-loving plant. Consequently, there should not be a deficit in water in the areas where it is grown. In the regions of Azerbaijan there are many wetlands that can be used for the development of this industry, especially the southern regions such as Lankaran and Astara.
This industry has always been a traditional economic sphere for southern regions of Azerbaijan.
Rice varieties "Hashemi", "Hasani", "Anbarba", "Girmizy Anbarbaru", "Champo", "Sadri" and others, cultivated in Lankaran in the 1960s, differed in original taste, quality and were sent to various cities of the former Soviet Union. However, later this industry was completely forgotten.
People, inspired by state support to the agricultural sector, have again begun to engage in this profitable industry. Currently, as a result of application of advanced technologies, the area of rice cultivation was brought up to 526.5 hectares.
Due to the fact that the rice produced in Lankaran is of high quality, it has many consumers and there enough markets for sale. In the future, after meeting domestic demand, the remaining surplus products are to be supplied to foreign markets.
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