Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 4
Trend:
Food security is one of the key priority issues and the achievements made in this area are very pleasing, said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev as he addressed a republican conference on the development of sericulture, tobacco and hazelnut production in Gakh district.
The president added that better results are expected in the years to come.
"We are focused on this area because it is a priority. Representatives of the older generation are well aware of the fact that in the Soviet times, Azerbaijan could not provide itself with meat, butter, milk, chicken, and these products came from other republics,” the president said, pointing out that food security is one of the key tasks ahead.
“We, in turn, produced cotton, grapes, fruits, vegetables, tobacco and hazelnuts and exported them to other republics,” Ilham Aliyev said. “But during the years of independence, the food security issues have come to the fore.”
“Therefore, we have focused on this area,” the president added. “As a result, today there is a significant development in grain growing. True, this cannot yet fully satisfy us, we have not yet fully satisfied our needs, but there is progress. Meat production almost meets the needs of Azerbaijan."
"Thanks to the measures to be taken in the years ahead, we will have even great export potential,” he said. “We provide ourselves with chicken meat by 100 percent, with milk and dairy products by about 80 percent. Azerbaijan exports large amounts of fruits and vegetables.”
“That is, food security is a key priority issue in the country. I can say that the achievements made in this field are very pleasing. There will be even greater results in the years ahead,” Ilham Aliyev noted.