Azernews.Az

By Nazrin Gadimova

According to official figure the population of rural areas across Azerbaijan has increased by 10.2 percent.

Azerbaijan's Agriculture Minister Heydar Asadov confirmed the trend adding that in par with the population increase, the country is witness to an increase in the volume of agricultural production by 3.3 times over the last year.

He made the statement at a conference on the implementation of the State programs for social and economic development of Azerbaijan's regions.

Asadov said along with the increasing of the cultivation areas by 64,200 hectares, Azerbaijan has significantly increased the volume of its agricultural products.

According to the minister, the increase amounted to about 2.6 billion manats in 2013. He also said that animal breeding increased by 3.8 times, amounted to about 2.6 billion manats and reached to 49.5 percent of total agricultural production.

"Some 99.4 percent of about 1.7 million hectares of cultivation areas were used in 2013," Heydarov said, adding that 52.4 percent of Azerbaijan's territory is suitable for agriculture.

Asadov also said that the government has allocated 458 million manats for the Open Joint Stock Company in the period of 2005-2013. He added that company's investment portfolio amounted to 650 million manats, including 13 million manats allocated by various sources.

"About 600 thousand agricultural products manufacturers benefited from the support of the state, on average, 50 percent of motor oils and fertilizers fuel used by the manufactures were paid by the government . Meanwhile, the government allocated 663 million manats to stimulate the production of grain and seed," the minister said.

The participants at the conference chaired by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also heard the speeches of Transportation Minister Ziya Mammadov, Economy and Industry Minister Shahin Mustafayev, President of Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR Rovnag Abdullayev, President of Azerenergy Etibar Pirverdiyev and chairman of Azersu Gorkhmaz Huseynov.