BAKU, Azerbaijan, Nov. 23
By Fidan Babayeva - Trend:
The last week in Azerbaijan began with an appeal by the Ministry of Agriculture to farmers receiving subsidies - producers of cotton, sugar beet, and tobacco, Trend reports citing the ministry.
The appeal said that farmers should make sure that the procurer posts information on the products sold by farmers in the Electronic Agricultural Information System (EAIS), adding that buyers must upload information about the volume of products sold by them, and a sales contract confirming the amount and receipts into the system.
"Producers of cotton, sugar beet, and tobacco themselves enter this information into the system, but it must be confirmed by the purveyors, or they themselves must directly enter it into the system. Otherwise, we will not be able to calculate and pay subsidies to these producers," the appeal said.
Also, in the last week, the Ministry of Agriculture noted that thanks to the implemented mechanisms of state support, cotton growing in Azerbaijan have become the most profitable sector of agriculture in 2020.
If in 2019, 295,000 tons of cotton were harvested in the fields, in 2020 farmers handed over more than 300,000 tons of cotton to cotton processing centers, added the ministry.
According to the agriculture ministry, Azerbaijani farmers have achieved high productivity indicators in cotton-growing so far.
“In 2020, the average cotton yield exceeded 30 centners, which is one of the highest indicators in the history of cotton growing in Azerbaijan. At present, the harvesting of cotton continues in the fields. By the end of the season, a further increase in both the volume of the harvest and the average yield is expected. The cotton harvest is planned to be completed as soon as is practicable,” said the message.
In addition, Ilham Bayramov, Director of the Production and Operations Department of the Azerbaijan Industrial Corporation, said this week that tobacco production is planned to be increased by up to 30 percent in 2021 by improving agrotechnical measures.
According to Bayramov, this year the growth in production was achieved by increasing the cultivation area, but next year it is planned to achieve the result by improving agrotechnical measures.
New generation cotton harvesters have been tested last week in the Goranboy district of Azerbaijan.
With the joint initiative of Case New Holland Industrial and OJSC "Agroservice" and with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, combines belonging to Case New Holland Industrial of the new generation were tested in cotton fields, the message said.
One of the important events of the week was the approval of the AZS 888: 2020 "Wheat. Specifications" state standard, which contains new, toughened requirements for quality control of raw materials to provide the population with healthy and high-quality flour and bakery products, noted the message.
The new standard will also provide control over the supply (storage) process of quality wheat.
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