Baku, Azerbaijan, March 27
By Anvar Mammadov – Trend:
There is no need in Azerbaijan to increase the planting area of persimmons, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Association of Persimmon Producers and Exporters Gadir Yusifov told Trend on March 27.
He said that the existing number of persimmon gardens is completely enough for Azerbaijan.
"We need to increase the yield, not through increasing the planting area, but through taking care of trees better. It is necessary to improve the technical base, properly carry out fertilization, pruning and watering of trees. These steps will allow us to get better harvest," Yusifov said, adding that it is difficult to calculate the exact number of persimmon gardens in the country.
"For this, it is necessary to conduct a large inventory, which requires a lot of money," Yusifov noted.
He noted that the yield is expected to be lower this year than in 2017, but one can say it exactly after three months.
"To date, the producers have already completed tree pruning, carried out winter watering and fertilized the soil. Presently, the farmers are fighting against the weeds. Now, it is impossible to predict the volumes of the harvest, but I believe that the yield will be slightly lower than last year, as usually year with high yields is replaced by a year with a lower yield. The harvest volume can be calculated more precisely 20 days after the flowering period, which will come in two months. Then, fruits are already beginning to form, and it will be possible to say something about the harvest volume," Yusifov said.
In 2016-2017, new persimmon gardens were planed on 800 hectares in Azerbaijan.
The Azerbaijan Association of Persimmon Producers and Exporters was established in August 2017 on the initiative of entrepreneurs and with the support of the country’s Ministry of Economy.
The main objectives of the association are to increase the production of competitive and export-oriented products, as well as expand the export of persimmons.