Review of agriculture in Azerbaijan (January-June 2012)

According to the country's State Statistics Committee, Azerbaijan produced agricultural products worth 1.970.6 billion manat in January-June 2012, which is 10.4 percent more than in January-June 2011.

Thus, the production of vegetable products increased by 17.5 percent, livestock products - by 5.5 percent, fish were caught in the amount of 68,800 manat.

As of June 22, some 373,700 hectares of area was ploughed up under spring sowing, which is 5.9 percent less than the same period of 2011.

Some 67,500 hectares (18 percent of all the crop) were sown under grains and cereals, potatoes - 66,000 hectares (17.6 percent) and vegetables - 78,000 hectares (20.9 percent), melons - 30,00 hectares (eight percent), cotton - 29,100 hectares (7.8 percent), sunflower - 10,700 hectares (2.9 percent), and so on.

Planting of spring plants in 2012, hectare

Source: State Statistics Committee

At the same time, harvest process actively continued. As of July 2, Azerbaijan harvested 1.585 million tons of autumn and spring crops, which exceeds the figure for the same period last year by 24.1 percent. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, during the period of 986,590 hectares of cultivated area (an increase over the year by 4.4 per cent), 601,310 hectares (an increase of 13.9 per cent) were processed. The yield of grain crops as a whole has grown over the year increased from 24.2 to 26.4 quintals per hectare (an increase of 9.1 per cent).

As of July 2, the country harvested 940,750 tons of wheat, which is higher than the same period by 25.3 percent. Yields of this crop for the year rose from 24.7 to 27.1 quintals per hectare.

Ministry of Agriculture of Azerbaijan predicts almost a record grain production in 2012 in the amount of 2.8 million tons of grain, despite the fact that a record grain production in the amount of 2.9 million tons was set in 2008. Of the total production 1.8 million tons is food grain.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Azerbaijan has begun the process of production of cereal seeds for planting in 2013. If in 2001 some 46,149 tons of seeds of I and II reproductions were produced, in 2011 the figure reached 173,937 tons. Subsidies to farmers to sell seeds grew over this period from 3.5 million to 5.5 million manat, respectively.

As of July 1, 2012, permission to work was given to 350 subjects of seed farming.

In the first six months of 2012 more than 34,000 farmers - employers were given 57,396 tonnes of mineral fertilizers with a 50 percent discount for the 288,354 hectares of cultivated area. These sellers of fertilizers were paid 12.6 million manat at the expense of the state budget.

There was an increase in the livestock sector. In January-June 2012 production of meat grew by 3.2 percent compared to the same period of last year and amounted to 214,600 tons, milk - 856,400 tons (a 7.3-percent increase), eggs - 600.4 million (an increase of 16 percent).

Today the need of the population of Azerbaijan in livestock products from domestic production is ensured by 80 percent. The demand of Azerbaijan in livestock production is 345,000 tons per year.

Under the state program to ensure safe food products of the population (for 2008-2015) until 2015, this need must be fully covered by domestic production.

Production of main livestock products, thousands tons

Source: State Statistics Committee