Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14
By Ilkin Shafiyev - Trend:
There are plans to harvest more than 150,000 tons of pomegranate in Azerbaijan in 2018, which is over 15 percent more than in 2017 (130,000 tons), Chairman of the Azerbaijan Pomegranate Producers and Exporters Association Farhad Garashov told Trend Sept. 14.
“We have several days left before the start of the season,” he said. “Every week, members of our association conduct observations at various farms to check the condition of the fruits, identify pests and other problems. Our training for farmers, as well as the use of new fertilizers and pesticides, yield results. Besides, the trees that suffered from adverse environmental conditions in previous years began to recover.”
Speaking about plans for processing products, he noted that presently, construction of a major pomegranate processing complex is on the agenda.
“It is possible to eat pomegranate fresh, make juice, concentrate, narsharab (pomegranate syrup) from it,” Garashov said. “Peel and oil from pomegranate seeds are also processed. A special complex will be built in Azerbaijan to increase the processing depth. Business plans have been already developed. Both the Azerbaijan Investment Company OJSC and foreign investment companies are showing interest for the project.”
It was earlier reported that the planned processing complex will consist of four plants for the production of pomegranate juice, concentrate, processing of pomegranate peel and seeds.
The total cost of the complex, according to the business plan, is 25 million manats. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2019 and finish by 2021.
The Azerbaijan Pomegranate Producers and Exporters Association was established on October 31, 2016. Presently, it brings together 28 members.
(1.7 manats = 1 USD on Sept. 14)
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