Azerbaijan, Baku, July 23 / Trend U. Ismayilova /
Azerbaijan will be provided with own grain for the first time in Azerbaijani history. Roughly 3 million tons of grain will be produced in 2009 but this is high index, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at a governmental meeting on Azerbaijani socio-economic development over the first six months, AzerTaj state news agency said. The meeting was presided by the Azerbaijani President.
"Roughly 500,000 additional tons of grain will be produced in Azerbaijan per year. I can tell that production of 2.2 million tons of wheat covers major part of our food safety," the President said.
He said Azerbaijan achieved these results owing to systematic work, concrete programs, regional development program, infrastructural projects and establishment of Agro Leasing.
"If we had not established Agro Leasing, how would farmers have bought the equipment?"
Tractors produced in Azerbaijan today promote new jobs and new industrial branch. Thus, Azerbaijani new industrial branch is being created," Ilham Aliyev said.
Ilham Aliyev said establishment of Agro Leasing was a turning point in development of agriculture. As a result of additional measures and subsidies, sown areas were significantly expanded.
Azerbaijani president said it is necessary to achieve more intensive development of agriculture from now on. Extension of sown areas is very positive factor. Hige land-improvement atcions are taken and will be taken in this respect, he said.
"We must take every effort to develop agriculture in more intensive and successful mode in future. We must be fully provided with foodstuff. Soon we will achieve it," Ilham Aliyev said.
Azerbaijani President said Azerbaijan should increase export trading. It should be noted that there are many big consumer markets but Azerbaijan supports business relations with neighboring countries. All neighboring markets are open for Azerbaijan. Production is delivered on these markets without problem, he said.
"The more processing enterprises will be established in Azerbaijan, the more export of Azerbaijani agricultural production will increase," Ilham Aliyev said.
Azerbaijani President said that everything became possible within short period as a result of complex measures, including seriously considered policy, financial resources, development of entrepreneurship, establishment of Agro Leasing, subsidizing, loans and land-improvement and irrigative measures.
Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan could not meet its demand for food in Soviet period. "However, I can tell that Azerbaijan solved its food safety problem in 2009. Large-scale operations should be done in the years to come on the basis of current achievements, he said.
"Additional measures will be taken for this purpose. Big storehouses and cold stores will be constructed in regions. It must be implemented at entrepreneurs' funds, as well as loans allocated by the Azerbaijani National Entrepreneurship Support Fund," Azerbaijani President said.
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