$68 million allocated to development of cattle breeding in Azerbaijan
By Aynur Jafarova
The National Fund for Entrepreneurship Support under the Azerbaijani Ministry of Economic Development has allocated the preferential loans worth 54 million manat ($68 million) to the development of cattle breeding in Azerbaijan.
The ministry reported that the funds were allocated to the establishment of modern cattle breeding complexes within the state program on reliable food supply of population of Azerbaijan in 2008-2015 approved by President Ilham Aliyev.
One of the projects realized through the preferential loans is Karabakh Agro-Industry Complex LLC in Mehdili village of Barda region. This company includes refrigerating storage with a capacity of 5,000 tons, slaughter farm, as well as 2,200 dairy and 2,000 meat-oriented livestock company.
Recently, 200 pedigree Holstein dairy cattle, Sharole, 200 Limuzin, Simmental meat breeds with high genetic characteristics were brought to Karabakh Agrarian Industry Complex from Hungary with a financial support of the National Fund for Entrepreneurship Support.
It is planned to bring 900 Simmental pedigree cows to the complex at the next stage . The number of pedigreed calves imported from Hungary will be 10,000 by late 2013.
Earlier in March, Hungarian State Secretary for Rural Development Gyula Budai told media that Hungary intends to expand its cooperation with Azerbaijan in the field of agriculture. According to him, Hungary is interested in exporting cattle to Azerbaijan.
The National Fund for Entrepreneurship Support was established in 1992. Allocation of loans to entrepreneurs is implemented through authorized banks and non-bank loan organizations the total number of which amounts to 43.