BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 28
By Samir Ali - Trend:
In order to simplify the procedure for creating production cooperatives in the field of agriculture, a model charter has been developed in Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Agriculture told Trend.
The organization of the development of the agricultural sector, the efficient use of land, the creation of agricultural cooperatives as a form of joint farming to increase the income of farmers are of great importance. By providing significant support to small agricultural producers, cooperatives are increasing their access to a variety of services, resources, technology, credit, and supply centers,” said the ministry‘s message.
The ‘Strategic Roadmap for the production and processing of agricultural products in of Azerbaijan’, approved by the decree #1138 of the President of Azerbaijan dated December 6, 2016, identifies measures to create farmer partnerships and develop cooperation in agriculture.
In accordance with the Strategic Roadmap and the State Program for the Development of Agricultural Cooperation in Azerbaijan for 2017-2022’ on the basis of a voluntary association of citizens as a pilot project with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, the ’Birlik’ cooperative was created in the Sabirabad district, consisting of 850 hectares of shared land of 133 families, ‘Akhyskhalar’, consisting of 730 hectares of shared land of 231 families, and in the Gakh district - the ‘Atababa Fyndygh’ cooperative, consisting of 350 hectares of shared land of 96 families.
“In 2019, in a vegetable and seed-growing, ‘Bereket’ cooperative was created in the Fuzuli village of the Samukh district. Meanwhile, in the village of Saryjalar of the Saatli district – ‘Bollug’ production cooperative, and in the village of Isnov Gyshlag of the Guba district – ‘Gyzyl Alma’ production and consumer cooperative. As of early 2020, the ‘Sunbul’ production cooperative was established in the Agsu district, the ‘Jalilabad’ production cooperative was established in the villages of Kazimabad and Garazenjir, in the Goktepe settlement of the Jalilabad district, and in the city of Jalilabad.
The creation of cooperatives is considered to be the best way to move agriculture from small-scale production to competitive production, increase productivity through the use of innovative technologies, and provide access to foreign markets. The ministry continues to take measures in this direction. In Jalilabad district, it is planned to create a cooperative for growing strawberries, in Lankaran district - rice and tea, Khachmaz district - cherry, in Barda and Aghjabadi districts - cotton, Goychay district - persimmons, Zagatala district - tea, Astara district - citrus fruits, in Hajigabul and Aghdash districts- cooperatives for the production of grain.