The share of agriculture in Azerbaijan makes up 8.3 percent of GDP in Azerbaijan. Almost half of the population lives in rural areas: of 3.8 million working population of Azerbaijan, more than 1.5 million people or 39 percent are employed in the agricultural sector. More than 52 percent of the land resources of Azerbaijan, 4.528 million hectares (from 8.641 million hectares) are suitable for agriculture.
The Ministry of Agriculture of Azerbaijan continues providing grants allocated from the 2009 Public budget to the farmers. Most of grants have already been allocated, except some regions. Grants are paid via plastic cards. The grants are paid for fuel and lubricants.
As of mid-August, in 28 districts a total of 25 million manat was provided to 166,000 farmers. Totally in 2009, grants amounting to 59 million manat (AZN 40 on average per hectare of cropland) is planned to be provided to farmers for 1,493 hectares in 59 districts. For comparison, in 2007 farmers were paid subsidies for 1,054 hectares, in 2008 - over 1,344 hectares.
According to official statistics, as of October 1, 2009, the total amount of the agricultural production made up AZN 2871.3mln, an increase of 4.0% compared to the same period of 2008.
In September 2009 the decline slowed down in the agricultural production, fishery and forestry industries as compared with the previous month. For example, in September 2009, the amount of production (380.95 million manat) was 1.1 percent lower than production amount in August 2009 (433.6 million manat) and 1.9 percent less than the level in September 2008 (388.43 million manat). The absolute record was noticed in July (804.2 million manat) 653.3 million manat in June and 210.9 million manat in May.
Factual prices of the products of the agricultural, forestry, fishery and hunting economies in Azerbaijan in, thous manats
|
January-September 2009 |
January-September 2008 |
|
|
In total, including |
2871329,8 |
2759247,0 |
|
Agriculture |
2870149,0 |
2758366,7 |
|
Forestry |
1066,1 |
783,8 |
|
Fishery |
111,2 |
92,5 |
|
Hunting |
3,5 |
4,0 |
Source: State Statistics Committee
Harvesting crops in agriculture of Azerbaijan continues. As of October 1, cereal production in Azerbaijan amounted to 2.8 million tons from cultivated area of 1,093,300 hectares. The yield was 25.9 metric centners per hectare.
Despite that the grain harvesting in the regions was completed, the collection of corn is still continuing. Production of corn from cultivated area of 26,800 hectares reached 129,500 tons. Annual demand for food grain is about 1.6 million tons.
In the agriculture of the country, were harvested 892,900 tons or 7 percent less potatoes, 1,104,500 tons (2.8 percent less) of vegetables, 406,400 tons (0.3 percent increase) melons, 414,200 tons (0.04 percent more) fruits and berries, 76.8 tons (0.5 percent higher) grapes, 360.1 tons (21.3 per cent less) green tea leaves.
|
2009 |
2008 |
||||||
|
Harvesting area, ths. ha |
% |
Production in thus tons |
Productivity, cent/ha |
Harvesting area, ths. ha |
Production in thus tons |
Productivity, cent/ha |
|
|
grain (without corn) |
1093,3 |
99,95 |
2835,9 |
25,9 |
860,9 |
2334,9 |
27,1 |
|
Corn |
26,8 |
84,8 |
129,5 |
48,4 |
30,5 |
146,3 |
47,8 |
|
Sunflower |
7,4 |
91,0 |
13,8 |
18,5 |
10,0 |
16,8 |
16,8 |
|
Tobacco |
1,8 |
1,7 |
|||||
|
Sugar beet |
0,3 |
3,5 |
7,8 |
296 |
1,5 |
31,8 |
219 |
|
Potatoes |
61,6 |
93,8 |
892,9 |
145 |
67,0 |
1027,8 |
153 |
|
Vegetables |
77,8 |
96,5 |
1104,5 |
142 |
80,7 |
1137,2 |
141 |
|
Melons |
31,1 |
99,97 |
406,4 |
131 |
31,5 |
404,8 |
128 |
|
Fruits |
414,2 |
414,0 |
|||||
|
Grapes |
76,8 |
76,4 |
|||||
|
Green tea, in ton |
360,1 |
279,8 |
Source: State Statistics Committee
According to State Statistics Committee, the production of meat in September 2009 was 33,000 tons compared to 23,600 tons in August, 24,300 tons in July, 27,300 tons in June, 23,200 tons in May, 24,400 tons in April, 24,100 tons in March, 23,655 tons in February, 24,645 tons in January this year and 33,200 tons in September 2008. During January-September 2009, meat production was 227,200 tons compared to 226,200 tons in January-September 2008 (an increase of 0.44 percent) and 302,800 tons last year. In December 2008, 25,300 tons of meat were produced compared to 25,900 tons in December 2007.
Milk production in January-September 2009 made up 1,075,800 tons compared to 1,048,800 tons (+2.5 percent) in January-September 2008, eggs - 896,000 units compared to 816,600 units (+9.7 percent). Wool was produced at 14,400 tons compared to 13,900 tons last year (3.4 percent).
Production of cattle-breeding (in ths tons)
|
Names |
2009 |
2008 |
As compared to 2008, % |
|
Meat (alive) |
227,2 |
226,2 |
100,5 |
|
Milk |
1075,8 |
1048,8 |
102,6 |
|
Egg |
896,0 |
816,6 |
109,7 |
|
Wool |
14,4 |
13,9 |
103,4 |
Source: State Statistics Committee
In September 2009, the production prices for agricultural products in Azerbaijan rose by 2.2 percent compared with the previous month. In January-September, there was an increase of 1.1 percent compared with the same period of 2008, the State Statistics Committee said.
In September, 4.3 percent growth was recorded in crops and melon compared with August, including cereals - by 0.1 percent. Fruits and hazelnuts fell by 5.3 percent. In livestock production, a growth of 2.2 percent was recorded as compared to the previous month. In this segment, the poultry and eggs rose in price by 14.7 percent, cattle prices fell by 3.4 percent.