Regions with highest grain yields disclosed
By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade
Agrarian reforms, implementation of the third State Program on the socio-economic development of regions, and improvement of regional and rural infrastructure positively affect the development of such an industry as grain growing, on which Azerbaijan’s food security largely depends.
The harvesting of grain and leguminous crops is nearing completion in Azerbaijan.
As of August 5, the harvest from 1,039,500 hectares of land sown with cereals and legumes (excluding corn) reached already 98.7 percent.
Some 3,218,000 tons of crops was collected and productivity of land amounted to 31.4 centners per hectare in average.
As much as 2,167,100 tons (67.4 percent) of wheat was harvested, while barley and other cereals and legumes accounted for 31.5 percent (1,014,900 tons) and 1.1 percent (36,000 tons), respectively.
Grain harvesting was completed in 22 regions of the country and in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. In 33 regions, the harvest is finished by more than 90 percent.
In wheat fields, the land with highest productivity is in Barda and Saatli regions. Yield there is 43.1 and 41.4 centners per hectare, respectively. As for barley, the highest yield was achieved in Barda and Sabirabad regions. Yield in Barda’s barley fields is 38.9 centners per hectare, and in Sabirabad it is 37.7 centners per hectare.
In general, the biggest sown wheat fields are located in Jalilabad and Sheki regions with size of 54,908 and 46,094 hectares, respectively. As for barley, Kurdamir with 29,926 hectares of sown area and Neftchala with 32,145 hectares have the largest fields of this crop.
Compared to other regions, more crops were harvested in Sheki (235,900 tons), Jalilabad (237,700 tons), Kurdamir (162,000 tons), Agsu (116,700 tons), Fuzuli (115,000 tons ), Neftchala (112,100 tons), Agjabadi (105,300 tons) regions and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (109,800 tons).
Azerbaijan imported about 1 million tons of wheat worth $205,967 in 2018. According to the data provided by State Customs Committee, the imports recorded a decrease of 193,528 tons or 15.2 percent year-on-year, and 9.3 percent in money terms. Wheat imports accounted for 1.8 percent of the country's total imports.
Azerbaijan develops grain growing by intensive ways, in particular, by attracting new and innovative technologies, which will increase productivity, as well as by building the appropriate infrastructure and improving human resources.
At the same time, implementing agro-technical measures, conducting researches for determining the areas of crops and ensuring the timely collection and preservation of these products are of significant importance for improving the quality of local grains.
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Mirsaid Ibrahimzade is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @MirsaidIbrahim1
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