Azerbaijan, Baku, October 24/Trend, A.Akhundov/
Azerbaijan plans to reach full self-sufficiency in flour next year, the draft state budget for 2014 said.
Some 94.1 per cent of the country's demand for flour was met through local production in 2012 and the expected demand figure for 2013 is 97.2 per cent.
According to the document, around 1.381 million tons of flour was produced in the country in 2012 (94,200 tons was imported), while in 2013 it is expected to produce 1.383 million tons (50,000 tons) and 1.386 million tons (10,000 tons) in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
Accordingly, the government also expects a growth in bread and bread product production from 1.168 million tons in 2012 to 1.17 million tons and 1.172 million tons in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
Flour consumption in the country amounted to 1.349 million tons last year. According to the government's prognosis, this figure will increase to 1.360 million tons and 1.371 million tons in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
Azerbaijan formed flour reserves to a volume of 1.847 million tons in 2012 which exceeded the volumes of annual consumption. According to the prognosis, this figure will increase to 1.908 million tons in 2013 and decrease to 1.866 million tons in 2014.