Azerbaijan, Baku /corr. Trend I.Khalilova / The problems of the Azerbaijani nut producers in exporting their products to the European markets have been partially resolved, said the President of Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Found (AZPROMO), Emil Mejidov, on 8 October.
The ban was due to Aflatoxin being detected in the composition of nuts exported from Azerbaijan to European markets, which occurred through the violation of transportation and storage conditions. The manufacturers cannot resolve the problem, and therefore, it is planned to establish an alliance of nut exporters in the near future. Its key aim will be to resolve the problem of Aflatoxin and organize production in accordance with European standards. According to Mejidov, it will officially announce the beginning of its activity in the near future.
Five nut-producing companies in Azerbaijan will be united in the alliance of nut exporters, including BakFem, Gilan, ElFem, Zakatala-findig (part of Azersun Holding) and Ali Said.
Currently the key producers of nuts are BakFem, Gilan, ElFem which have the capacity for large productions. BakFem and Gilan have been fully supplied with European equipment, but they have technical and management problems. Presently, the key nut producers in the country are BakFem, Gilan, ElFem, which possess tremendous production capacities. Enterprises BakFem and Gilan are fully provided with European equipment, but they still have problems of technological and management character, as well as aflatoxin element in the nuts.
According to the searches by the German Society of Technical Assistance (GTZ), more than half of the nuts in the country are produced by the local companies and the remaining part by the Iranian and Turkish producers.
GTZ intends to assist in organizing the activity of the alliance and export of its products.