Azernews.Az

By Rasana Gasimova

Italy and Azerbaijan cooperate in a number of spheres, one of them being agriculture. Mutually organised events in this area further enhance cooperation allowing the two countries exchange experiences and explore new cooperation opportunities.

Issues of food and environment protection, healthy food culture, food security, food rights, land characteristics, biodiversity and agro-tourism will be discussed within the Week of Italian Cuisine organized by the Italian Embassy in Azerbaijan to be held in Baku with the support of the Agro Procurement and Supply OJSC on November 18-24.

During the week, seminars, conferences, meetings with chefs, chef courses, tasting events, dinners, business promotion activities and other events will be held in Azerbaijan as well as in other countries around the world, Ministry of Agriculture said on its website.

Leyla Mammadova, the head of Agro Procurement and Supply OJSC said that the event will discuss a variety of issues.

“The event is not only about the promotion of Italian cuisine and culture. It will also focus on issues such as food and environment protection, healthy food culture, food security, food rights, land characteristics, biodiversity and agro-tourism,” she said.

Within the Italian Cuisine Week, a conference on “Safe Food, High Quality Products and a Strong Country Brand”, “Italian-Azerbaijani Dialogue” will be held in Baku on November 21. By noting her speech on "Healthy Food and Food Safety", at the following conference, Leyla Mammadova stated that the event will contribute to Azerbaijan-Italy relations:

“Throughout the week, famous Italian chefs Anna Maria Palma, Nicola Batavia, Stefano Boselli and Carlo Cracco will make a variety of Italian dishes from the local agricultural products. In other words, Azerbaijani products will enrich Italian culinary traditions,” she noted.

She added that this will demonstrate both Italian cuisine and the quality of local products.

“We will also discuss cooperation in the field of agriculture between Azerbaijan and Italy with representatives from public and private sectors visiting from Italy. Our purpose is to gain benefit from Italy’s proven experience in the field of agro tourism in order to elaborate “From City to Village” project,” Mammadova said.

Italy is an important economic and trade partner of Azerbaijan. Italy accounts for about 20 percent of the country’s trade turnover with foreign countries. The trade turnover with Italy was approximately $4.7 billion in 2017. Azerbaijan exports to Italy mainly oil and oil products, as well as chemical industry products, while Italy supplies products, light and food industry products to Azerbaijan.

The two countries are expanding relations in non-oil sector, energy, infrastructure, transport, ICT, tourism, agriculture, wine-making and others.

It should be noted that the main goal of the Italian Culinary Week that is annually organized in various countries around the world is to promote the country’s cuisine and food products in the world.

This year, Italian Cuisine Week in the World will host over a thousand events, aiming to promote Italy’s agri-food industry and the tradition of high-quality food and wine which is so central to the Italian identity and culture.

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