Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov.3
By Azad Hasanli - Trend:
The total volume of agricultural production has increased 3.4 times over the last 10 years in Azerbaijan, said an article by the country's Minister of Agriculture, Heydar Asadov.
The volume of crop production has tripled, while the livestock production saw a 3.8 times increase in the last 10 years, according to an article published on Nov.1.
"In general, the country has experienced high growth rates in the agricultural development over the last 10 years," the minister said.
Meanwhile, Asadov said that the volume of investments in the sphere of agriculture has increased 15 times, while the average monthly wage of workers in this sphere has grown 9 times during the reporting period.
The minister of agriculture added that the volume of production of certain agricultural products meet the 2015 targets envisaged in the "State Program on reliable food supply of population in the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2008-2015".
"For instance, the ratio of production indicators of 2013 to the targets set for 2015 for the meat production amounted to 87.6 percent, milk and milk products - 75.8 percent, potato - 88.4 percent, vegetables and melons - 96.5 percent, fruits - 106.7 percent, grain - 79.3 percent," the minister said.
The minister said if after gaining state independence, the self-provision with meat and milk products in the country was approximately 30-35 percent, now this figure is 92 percent and 76 percent, respectively.
"If previously, Azerbaijan imported potatoes in order to meet the domestic demand, now the country exports over 50,000 metric tons of new potatoes per year," the article said. "At the same time, the export of fruits and vegetables, traditionally supplied to the markets abroad by Azerbaijan, increases year by year."
The volume of state funding for the reconstruction of amelioration and irrigation system, rendering of veterinary and phytosanitary services, conducting researches, the use of tax exemptions, offering subsidies and for other purposes, has increased from 328 million AZN in 2007 to 657 million in 2013.
Meanwhile, the volume of subsidies for agricultural producers has increased from 66 million AZN to 110 million AZN.
The official exchange rate on Nov.3 is 0.7844 AZN/USD.
Edited by CN