Azernews.Az

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the opening ceremony of the “Shirvan Agro” livestock complex in the Shamakhi district on March 23, AzerNEWS reports.

Head of the Shamakhi District Executive Authority Tahir Mammadov briefed the head of state on the complex.

Covering nearly 100 hectares, the complex aims to supply the country’s population with high-quality milk and meat products, support their export, and contribute to regional development—particularly by increasing employment in Shamakhi and surrounding districts.

The complex has the capacity to house 9,000 head of cattle, including 3,200 dairy cows, 3,000 beef cattle, and 2,800 calves. Breeds such as Holstein-Friesian, Limousin, and Aberdeen Angus are currently being raised at the facility.

Equipped with the latest technologies and managed using artificial intelligence tools, the complex is one of the largest livestock facilities in the Caucasus region and across the CIS. It is also the first livestock complex in the country to utilize alternative and green energy sources.

A Training and Education Center will operate within the complex to train highly qualified specialists and introduce the application of the world’s most advanced technologies.

The facility features the largest “carousel”-type milking system in Azerbaijan and the South Caucasus, as well as a “parallel” milking system. An online milk quality analyzer has been installed at each milking point. The country’s first advanced rapid cooling system—which cools milk from 32°C to 4°C—has also been installed, along with the first Reproduction Center operating on the basis of the latest genetic material to increase milk yield.

An innovative herd management system has been implemented to ensure early diagnosis and prompt treatment of diseases among the animals. Real-time herd monitoring, efficient fattening management, and electronic weight calculation are carried out using a specialized scale system.

“AfiCollar” electronic neck collars are used for animal identification, health monitoring, and precise determination of insemination timing.

The complex also includes an innovative feed center equipped with specialized stationary equipment, as well as a meat processing and cutting area featuring a “Dry Age” room equipped with advanced systems.

More than 200 residents of Shamakhi and surrounding districts have been provided with jobs at the enterprise. The complex also includes a residential building for workers commuting from other districts and for foreign specialists.

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The head of state then met with the employees of the enterprise.

Addressing the event, President Ilham Aliyev said:

- Congratulations! We are creating hundreds of jobs and establishing excellent conditions. This enterprise is of great importance for the development of agriculture both in the Shamakhi district and across the country. It is the largest meat and dairy farm not only in Azerbaijan but also in the South Caucasus. We are currently working to reduce the volume of imports. Our goal is to ensure 100 percent self-sufficiency in meat, milk, and dairy products. We are approaching this goal, although it has not yet been fully achieved. The launch of such farms will help us reach this objective. In fact, we will also be able to export meat and dairy products in the future.

Of course, the working conditions here are excellent. I can say with confidence that this complex is one of the most advanced farms in the field of agriculture and the processing of agricultural products. The technologies applied here are those of leading companies, and the highest standards of modern business practices are being implemented. I would like to emphasize once again that this enterprise will play a significant role in increasing employment in the Shamakhi district.

As you are well aware, extensive development is currently underway in the Shamakhi district. Shamakhi has become one of the tourism centers of our country. A number of modern recreation areas, hotels, catering, cultural, and educational facilities have been established here. The Shamakhi–Baku highway is also highly modern, providing strong connectivity with both Baku and the western and northwestern regions of the country.

A new Shamakhi–Ismayilli–Gabala highway is currently under construction. The bridge being built there is the largest in our country, and it is expected to be commissioned next year. We are also addressing connectivity issues across the country as a whole. Our goal is to ensure that our people live better lives, have stable jobs, and enjoy a decent standard of living.

The opening of such an enterprise during these holidays also carries great symbolic significance. These days, we are celebrating both Ramadan and Novruz, and there is a wonderful atmosphere and a positive mood throughout the country. The main reason for this is the development of our country, our status as a victorious nation, and our confidence in the future.

I once again congratulate you and wish you every success.

Employees of the enterprise: Thank you very much.