Baku, Azerbaijan, March 30
By Kheyraddin Nasirzade - Trend:
Significant increase in the production of honey has been observed in Azerbaijan since the Agriculture Ministry granted subsidies to Azerbaijani beekeepers, Head of the Azerbaijan Beekeepers Association Badraddin Hasratov told Trend.
He said that there has been an increase in the number of apiaries among amateur beekeepers. For this year, it is planned to increase production to 5,000 tons of honey, which is 66.7 percent more than last year. He noted that 3,000 tons of honey were produced last year.
Hasratov added noted that negotiations are underway with various countries to study the foreign market. The association is more focused on Arab countries such as the UAE, in particular Dubai, and Kuwait, he said. In 2018, eight tons of honey were exported to Japan, he noted. In order to expand exports, negotiations are underway with several Japanese companies, he added.
In order to increase production and product quality, the association conducts various seminars and trainings in all Azerbaijani districts involved in the field of beekeeping, he said.
An international conference is expected to be held, and experts from leading countries engaged in this industry will be invited to this conference, he noted. The groups of the association created in Facebook helped to improve and strengthen business relations with both local and foreign specialists, he said. If in 2017-2018, about 300,000 families were employed in the beekeeping industry in Azerbaijan, this year their number has already exceeded 500,000, he noted.
The head of the association added that the main goal is to reduce the dependence of the market on foreign competitors (Georgia, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, Iran) by increasing local production. As a result, prices are expected to decline, and this will increase the competitiveness of Azerbaijani beekeepers in the domestic market and in importing countries, he said.
---
Follow the author on Twitter: @1nasirzade