Azerbaijan, Baku, May 15 / Trend, A.Akhundov /
Holding the Azerbaijan International Food Industry Exhibition Worldfood Azerbaijan 2012 has a positive impact on the development of domestic agricultural production and thereby of increasing the country's export potential and interest of foreign entrepreneurs.
Azerbaijani Agriculture Minister Ismet Abasov made this statement at the official opening of the 18th Azerbaijan international food industry exhibition Worldfood Azerbaijan 2012 on Tuesday.
"The country's tasks include increasing the country's GDP twice in the next 10 years which should mainly be achieved through growth in the non-oil sector," Abasov said.
"Holding such exhibitions is very important given the important role of agriculture in the country's non-oil sector," he added.
He said that this exhibition is an important project in terms of ensuring food security, both in the country and the region.
According to president of the Azerbaijan Export Promotion Fund and Investment (AZPROMO) Adil Mammadov, who also addressed the opening of the exhibition, Worldfood is a good platform to establish business relationships between local and foreign entrepreneurs.
After the opening ceremony a delegation headed by Minister Abasov became familiarised with the exhibition, inquiring about products presented by companies, their production technology, as well as the conditions created for their work in the country.
Abasov also visited the national stands of Hungary and Serbia, discussing the possibility of joint cooperation, export of products of Azerbaijani companies to these countries in the future, as well as products of these countries to Azerbaijan.
The exhibition is being attended by 120 companies from 24 countries worldwide. This year, 40 per cent of exhibition participants are new exhibitors. They include companies from Afghanistan, Brazil, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Serbia.