Azerbaijan, Baku, May 15 / Trend, A.Akhundov /
There is no shortage of agricultural equipment in Azerbaijan and crops will begin to be harvested, Agriculture Minister Ismet Abasov told reporters on Tuesday.
"The country has more than 2,600 combines. They are all in working condition and expect to start work," Abasov said.
In 2012, the ministry plans to collect up to 2.55 million tons of cereals. An increase in sowing areas by 40,000 hectares this year, allows predicting grain production growth by 100,000 tons, Department for Control Over Production and Processing Crop Products head Sabir
Veliyev told Trend earlier.
According to the State Statistics Committee, in 2011 Azerbaijan produced 2.459 million tons of cereals (22 per cent, or 458,000 tons more than in 2010) with yield of 25.4 quintals per hectare. Some 66.7 percent or 1.64 million tons accounted for wheat.