The volume of the grain production in Azerbaijan will lower for 20,000-25,000 tons as compared to 2004 and is forecasted at the level of 2,13 million tons, the chairman of the State Committee on Statistics of Azerbaijan Arif Veliyev told the news conference on 17 September 2005, Trend reports.
According to him, 2,158 million tons of cereals were produced last year. For 8 months of the current year this figure is 2,04 million tons. "Lowering of the grain harvesting is connected with the decrease of the sowing area, as the cereals were sown on 14,000 hectares less area. It is explained by the lowering interest of farmers to the cereals growing”, Veliyev noted.
He also reported, considerable increase of other kinds of agricultural products output is forecasted, excluding the green tea leaves. The reason is lowering of the sowing area.
Veliyev noted, that in the production of potato, grapes, cotton considerable increase will be observed. After 1980 the area under grapes lowered from 250,000 hectares to 8,000 hectares. However, due to rising in prices of this kind of product in the country the interest of farmers to its growing increased.
The Chairman of the State Committee forecasts, the highest level of increase will be observed in production of cotton, as due to the growing world market prices of this product the prices for getting cotton from farmers also rise. At the result of these factors the cotton sowing area is for 30,000 hectares more this year as compared to the last year.
Veliyev also said the cattle breeding is developing in stable tempos in the country. “Each year increase by 2,5-5% is recorded in this sector. For 8 months the number of the large cattle was 2,3 million, the small cattle вЂ"about 7 million. Such figures are recorded for the first time in the history of Azerbaijan”, he concluded.