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Heavy rains in Azerbaijan cause damage to tobacco plantations

Business Materials 14 August 2018 17:06 (UTC +04:00)
Strong torrential rains in northwest Azerbaijan have caused some damage to tobacco plantations
Heavy rains in Azerbaijan cause damage to tobacco plantations

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 14

By Anvar Mammadov - Trend:

Strong torrential rains in northwest Azerbaijan have not caused any serious damage to tobacco plantations, chairman of the Tobacco Producers and Exporters’ Association Telman Hasratov told Trend on Aug. 14.

Most of the plantations were not flooded excessively, which, on the contrary, is useful for tobacco.

"Most of the plantations, which we have already inspected, are not damaged too much. But we have not yet visited the plantations located at higher altitude, closer to the mountains where the precipitation was stronger. The main thing is that the plantations were not completely submerged - it would be harmful for tobacco," Hasratov said.

Meanwhile, he said that in general, tobacco production in the country should significantly increase in 2018.

"Crop yield is high in 2018. Farmers are even dissatisfied with the insufficient number of reception points. So the production of dry tobacco and tobacco products should increase in 2018," Hasratov said.

Earlier he told Trend that, tobacco production in Azerbaijan may increase by 30 percent by late 2018.

"Tobacco picking started relatively recently, but we already expect significant growth in production by the end of 2018," Hasratov said. "Presently, the biggest volumes of tobacco production are concentrated in Balakan, Shaki, Ismayilli, Gabala, Lerik and Masalli districts."

As a result of torrential rains at night and morning of August 10-11 in the northwestern regions of Azerbaijan, water level of the Tala River in the territory of Khoytala and Vokhtala villages of Zagatala district and the river Katekh in Ititala village of Balakan district rose. Rain water flooded open territories, roads connecting the villages and some farmlands.

According to the State Statistics Committee, in 1H2018, over 975 tons of tobacco were harvested from 3.4 thousand hectares of land in Azerbaijan, which is 8.2 times more than in the same period of the 2017.

During the reporting period, the country produced tobacco products worth 20.48 million manats, which is 3.4 times more than in 1H17.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Anvar_Mammadov

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