Last week within the visit of the Israeli Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Shalom Simhon, a meeting of the business people of Israel and Azerbaijan took place. Israel is prepared to share its experience in the agrarian sector with Azerbaijan. " Israel has rich experience in the agrarian sector, particularly, in the sphere of animal breeding, irrigation system, and we are ready to share this experience with Azerbaijan," Arthur Lenk, Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan, stated to journalists on 6 May.
In its turn, Azerbaijan's agrarian business sector is very interested in great achievements of Israeli agriculture in the modern stage. Israel is the country which gained impressing success in agriculture. First of all, it should be mentioned that 60% of the country is desert and a good part is mountains, hills and woods. Israel's agricultural development is an unprecedented event in modern history. Sixty years ago European urban repatriates took up agricultural activities and created agriculture in the land which had not been farmed before them not leaving behind in terms of intensity and in several fields even excelling the agriculture of most developed countries with centuries-old traditions.
Agriculture plays a big role in Israeli economy with a share of 5% on the gross national product and 5.6% in the structure of the export. The agricultural workers make up 3.5% of the population of the country. Israel meets its demand for foodstuffs by 95%. The country imports grain crops and oil-bearing crops, meat, coffee, cocoa, sugar which is compensated by the broad variety of products that country exports.
Israelis were the first in the world to invent a special drip irrigation system. It is unconventional and a sort of revolutionary system: it saves 30-50% of water as compared to usual systems. Water goes to the root of every flower, tree and bush virtually without lost. The required pressure in the system is low, different fertilizers are also pumped through it. Setting up and operation of the system is simple and comfortable. Researches show that the water may be used for cultivating some definite crops. Israelis are ready to offer this system to the Azerbaijani farmers.
As to yield of milk per cow, Israel steadily occupies the first place in the world (average yield of milk - 12,000 litres) and it also takes the first place as to cotton harvest (3.3 tons per hectare, while in USA it is 1.6 tons); the second place as to root harvest (including potato); the third place as to production of citruses (after USA and Spain).
Great majority of the vegetables, fruits and flowers are cultivated in the greenhouses. While the average productivity of tomatoes makes up 60-80 tons from one hectare in the open soil, it makes up 500 tons in the greenhouses controlled by the climate computers and pepper - 180-220 tons. But it is not a limit. Israelites have gained their 'niche' in the world foodstuff market. The Israeli vegetables, fruits, plants and flowers are used in Europe in winter time with a special way when there are no fresh ones. The EU accounts for 37% of the export of the agricultural products, North America - 29% and Africa - 3%.
The secret of success of the Israeli agriculture is the close cooperation with the farmers and scientists financed by the government in developing and introducing improved methods in all areas of agriculture, in taking advantage of the technical know-how, up-to-date irrigation technology and state of the art agro-technics. We have achieved big miracles in Israeli genetics and biotechnology and we are ready to share our experience with our Azerbaijani counterparts and farmers, Shalom Simhon said.
On the whole, the most up-to-date technology has been introduced in the agriculture of Israel. The resources are spent in an effective way. The deserts are irrigated and an all-Israel sluice has been built which supplies arid regions with water. More advanced and economical means of irrigation is introduced in order to cut down water expenditures for agriculture which enables to direct moisture directly to the root of the plants. The computer technology is largely applied and greenhouse economy is remarkably enlarged. Programs are being developed to enrich water resources, methods of calling and amplifying rain and desalination of saline soil and reversion of sewage. A large natural subterranean reservoir of salty water revealed in the Negev desert was commissioned recently. The studies showed that this water can be used to cultivate various plants.
At present, various agricultural and joint research projects make up about one third of Israeli programs of the international corporation. The education is put special emphasis on. Some 600 people from 60 countries are annually enrolled for special agricultural courses in Israel and about 300 people are being educated by the Israeli instructors abroad. We are ready to educate Azerbaijani farmers as well.
Azerbaijan, with productive land and favorable climate, is in need of technical assistance, close co-operation with scientific-research structures.