Azerbaijan, Hussar, April 5 / Trend, N. Ismayilova /
The Azerbaijani Economic Development Ministry's National Fund for Entrepreneurship Support (NFES) funded the planting of a vineyard covering 50 hectares in Gusar, Executive Director Shirzad Abdullayev said today.
"The NFES allocated a favorable loan worth $1.1 million manat to Simal Kendli fermer Tesserufatı to fund this project worth 1.6 million manat," Abdullayev said.
About 100,000 plants of fertile grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Sapveravi, North Sapveravi and Black Pinot were imported from France at the expense of the funds.
It is also planned to create a modern irrigation system under the project.
Abdullayev said the project will create 35 new jobs.
The NFES recently started to fund projects to develop wind-growing after Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev gave the relevant orders during a conference on the results of the second year of the state socioeconomic development program for the country's regions covering 2009-2013.
According to Simal Kendli fermer Tesserufatı Director Hasanbala Zamanov, the company was founded in 2008. In 2009, vineyards were planted over 15 hectares, in 2010, over 35 hectares, and in 2011, across 50 hectares.
The area under the vineyard should be increased to 250 hectares by 2015.
"These grape varieties bear fruits after three years. One can collect roughly 10 percent of the total amount of the planted production in the first year. Soil samples were sent for analysis to France to select the best varieties, and the climatic conditions were also taken into account. Eighteen varieties were then selected," Zamanov said.
Agrolizinq has started building a cooling warehouse with a capacity of 800 tons to store the manufactured products. Zamanov also said the company has plans to build its own winery. Talks are underway with the country's wine enterprises to sell products. The table grapes may also be exported to Russia.
The official exchange rate is 0.7926 manat to $1 on April 5.