Review of agriculture in Azerbaijan (January-May 2010)

Sowing of spring plantings completed in Azerbaijan. As of June 1, spring plants were sown in the territory of 352,500 ha or 7.1 percent more than last year.

In January-May 2010, the spring sowing of grain and grain legumes increased 5.7%, sugar beet - 17,2 ha, cotton- 47.4%, rice - 35.5%, but potatoes - decreased 2.5%, corn - 1.8%, wheat - 95.2%, wild oats - 11.2%.  

Sowing of spring plantings in 2010, ha

Source: State Statistics Committee

The decline in grain production in 2010 in Azerbaijan is mainly connected with reduction in sowing area (last year, the sowing area totaled 148,000 ha). This year the country produced about 500,000 tons of grain less than 2009.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the current year has been unfavorable for agriculture due to weather conditions, but despite this, the entire crop produced will be collected and processed, and if necessary, the import of products will be continued. In any case, the shortage of grain is not expected, since in 2009 a record amount of grain was collected, and reserves have left from last year also.

According to State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan, in January-May grain were collected from 1,800 ha (22.3 metric centner per hectare), resulting in total 4,000 tons of grain compared to 17,900 tons of grain collected from 8,600 hectares during the same period last year.

In May 2010, growth of meat production has resumed in Azerbaijan. According to State Statistics Committee, the production of meat in May totaled 24,700 tons compared to 24.466 million tons in January 2010, 26,300 tons in December and 23,200 tons in May 2009. In January-May, meat production totaled 120,100 tons, 0.1% increase from the same period of 2009 (120,000 tons).

For the last year, meat production amounted to 305,100 tons, which was 0.8% more than the production in 2008 (302,800 tons). Milk production in January-May totaled 601,900 tons (4.6%) compared to 575,200 tons during the same period of the last year, eggs - 508.6 million units (0.7%) compared to 505.1 million units and 1209.4 million units, respectively.

In January-May, wool production totaled 10,700 tons, which was 1.5% more than production during the same period of 2009 (10,500 tons).

Production of cattle-breeding (in ths tons)  

Source: State Statistics Committee

The agricultural production amounted to 671.4 million manat, an increase of 1.0 percent compared to the same period of the last year. The cost of forestry products at the actual prices for the reported period amounted to 556,200 manat compared to 547,600 manat in January-May (+1.6%), fishery - 58,400 manat compared to 80,300 manat (-27.3%).

Factual prices of the products of the agricultural, forestry, fishery and hunting economies in Azerbaijan

Source: State Statistics Committee

In May, the production prices for agricultural products in Azerbaijan decreased by 1.1% compared to April, but rose 0.6% in January-May. Production prices for livestock products dropped by 3%, crop - increased 0.4% compared to the last month.

Production prices for grains and melons rose by 0.4%, olives and nuts - decreased 0.9%. Vegetables prices remained unchanged, but citrus plants - increased 4.1%.

Production prices for livestock decreased: for calves - 9.4%, cattle - 1.1%, sheep - 0.1%.