BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb. 13
By Fidan Babayeva - Trend:
Azerbaijan’s export of persimmons last year increased by more than 200,000 tons compared to 2018, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Persimmon Manufacturers and Exporters Association Gadir Yusifov told Trend Feb. 13.
Yusifov noted that export revenues last year significantly exceeded revenues for 2018 and amounted to $114 million.
“That was because from Sept. 10 through Nov. 15, 2019, persimmon prices were low,” said the chairman. “This has led to an increase in the number of the countries wishing to import persimmons. The most interested countries in this period were Russia and Ukraine.”
Yusifov reminded that since Nov. 15, 2019, the prices for persimmon have grown by more than $2.
“Azerbaijan’s income from exports to Russia in 2019 amounted to 65-70 percent of the total volume,” the chairman said.
Yusifov noted that Azerbaijan has great potential in developing the product export.
“Raising awareness of entrepreneurs of the export markets and their professional development are necessary to increase the production,” the chairman added. “To this end, the association is discussing a joint project with Azerbaijan’s Agriculture Ministry. This includes conducting trainings for entrepreneurs in districts where persimmons are grown - in Goychay, Shamkir, Tovuz, Balakan and Zagatala. During the trainings, manufacturers and exporters of persimmons will receive information on the collection of fruits, their packaging, warehousing and organization of sales.”
Azerbaijan Persimmon Manufacturers and Exporters Association was created in August 2017 at the initiative of entrepreneurs and with the support of Azerbaijan’s Economy Ministry.
The main objectives of the association are to increase the manufacture of competitive and export-oriented products, as well as expand export of persimmons.