Azerbaijan, Baku, July 4 / Trend A.Akhundov /
The cultivated area has increased by 5.8 percent or 21,643 hectares in Azerbaijan this year.
"As of June 22, spring sowing was conducted on an area of 397.297 hectares," the Azerbaijani Agriculture Ministry said.
Cotton was planted on an area of 42,828 hectares, melons 33,195 hectares (2.2 percent), perennial grass 83,224 hectares (6.4 percent), annual grass 4,608 hectares (51 percent) and tobacco 1,435 acres (6.2 percent).
During the report period, there was a reduction in the sowing area of sugar beet by 15 percent (planted in an area of 7,315 hectares), potatoes - by 1.4 percent (65,145 hectares), vegetables - by 0.4 percent (33,195 ha) and forage root crops - by 11.1 percent (168 hectares).
Grains and legumes (excluding maize) were planted in an area of 29.659 hectares compared to 31,242 hectares in the same period of 2010. The decline hit 5.1 percent.
Wild oats were sown in an area of 1.745 hectares (an increase of 5.8 percent), rice unshelled from the husk - 1,659 hectares, maize - 34,262 hectares (an increase of 12.2 percent), sunflower - 10,823 hectares (an increase of 21.5 times).
Wheat sown area declined by 51.4 percent in the country. "As of June 22, 2011 wheat was sown in an area of 268 hectares, whereas in the past year - an area of 551 hectares," the ministry said.
A 6-percent growth is expected in agricultural production in Azerbaijan in 2011compared to last year, Agriculture Minister Ismat Abasov said earlier.
"In presence of favorable weather conditions we can produce agricultural products by six percent more," Abasov said. He said growth in production is expected in all main types of agricultural products.
"Our task is to meet the population's all needs in agricultural products at the expense of local production. This task will be solved within the next few years. There is no deficit in any type of agricultural products in Azerbaijan," Abasov said.
The total volume of agricultural products amounted to actual prices 3.88 billion manat in 2010.