BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12
By Matanat Nasibova - Trend:
Russia’s Dagestan Republic has started exporting rice to Azerbaijan, Trend reports referring to Russian media.
In Dagestan, by the end of 2019, rice production is expected at about 97,000 tons, while initially it was expected at 95,000 tons.
“At the same time, in order to increase export from Dagestan in 2020, the area of paddy fields is planned to be increased by 3,000 hectares, and it will be possible to do so at the expense of funds allocated for the development of the reclamation complex,” the report said. “Thus, the region intends to increase the total area for rice next year to 23,000 hectares.”
Dagestan has expanded the geography of sales of products, which includes countries such as Iran, Azerbaijan, Latvia, Vietnam, Georgia, India and Israel, according to the report.
In turn, rice production decreased last year in Azerbaijan due to the negative impact of drought on rice crops in the Astara district.
Last year, rice was planted on an area of 448,000 hectares in Astara. As a result, 1,802 tons of rice were produced. Despite that this year rice plantings increased to 450,000 hectares, 1,660 tons of rice were produced.
Presently, the greatest demand in the domestic market in Azerbaijan is for new rice varieties imported from Italy, as well as for the Iranian rice variety “Hashemi”, which is grown in the Astara district.