Agriculture in Azerbaijan (January-July 2014)

The stable growth of agricultural production volumes remained in the country in January-July 2014. The agriculture growth rates are relevant with the trends observed in other areas. The share of agricultural output in the country's GDP remained at the level of more than four percent.

One can remember the reporting period by making historic decisions for the development of agriculture and further strengthening of the public support for the industry. The basis was created for the transition to a qualitatively new stage in the development of agriculture in accordance with these decisions. All this will generate a new agricultural sector in the near future.

A major breakthrough occurred in improving the process of providing farmers with agricultural equipment in Azerbaijan for the period. According to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Agriculture, Agrolizing purchased 1,928 units of agricultural equipment, including 478 combine harvesters made in Europe, 417 tractors, 1,033 trailers and other equipment and delivered to the farmers for the reporting period. This equipment meets the international standards. The harvesting completed with minimal loss and in the shortest possible time at more than 90 percent of the sown areas because the equipment was modernized.

The operational staffs and a "hot line" were created in all areas to obtain the harvest without losses. Moreover, a joint stock company brought about two thousand head of cattle into the country and leased on favorable terms in the reporting period.

According to the report of the Azerbaijani State Statistics Committee, the agricultural production volume amounted to 2.990 million AZN in Azerbaijan at current prices in January-July 2014 or by 4.2 percent less compared to the same period of last year.

According to the report, the livestock production increased by three percent, crop production reduced by 10.8 percent during this period.

Plant growing

As of June 1, 2014, sowing areas were registered in Azerbaijan. The total area of ​​cultivated areas of the country amounted to 1,612,7 hectares, which is 4.2 percent less than in the same period of last year.

Sowing area, thousand ha

Around 1,000,5 hectares (or 62 percent) of the total volume of sowing areas accounted for cereals and legumes, 43,700 hectares (3.6 percent) - technical cultures, 165,800 hectares (10.3 percent) - potatoes , vegetables and melons, and 402,700 hectares (25 percent) - forages.

Around 991,000 hectares of the sown area accounted for autumn wheat. But ​​3,700 hectares were completely destroyed. As a result, sowing areas decreased for the reporting period of this year compared to the same period of last year.

As of August 1, 2014, harvesting is underway in Azerbaijan.

In particular, around 948,500 tons of grain (excluding maize) were produced in the country during the reporting period. On average, 22.8 quintals of grain were gathered from one hectare of the sown area. Taking into account the gathered corn, grain production in January-July 2014 amounted to 2,176,3 tons.

Grain yields greatly decreased in Azerbaijan in 2014. According to the State Statistics Committee, productivity was only 24 quintals per hectare as of August 4 compared to 27.6 q / ha in the previous year. As a result, grain yield decreased from 1,875,006 to 1,442,353 tons.

These trends are expected not to be changed greatly by the end of the harvesting. Negative results are related to the drought in the most territory of Azerbaijan.

As of the reporting date, the highest yield was observed in Barda region - 36.7 q / ha compared to 36.1 q / ha last year. The lowest yield (5.2 q / ha compared to 20.6 q / ha) was recorded in Gobustan region.

Around 717,800 tons of vegetables, 466,100 tons of potatoes, 325,100 tons of melons, 176,600 tons of fruits and berries were produced in the farms for the period.

Source: Azerbaijani State Statistics Committee

Animal husbandry

Some 252,400 tons of meat in live weight,1,103,600 tons of milk, 889.1 million chicken eggs, 15.4 tons of wool were produced in the country during this period.

Meat production increased by 1.7 percent, milk - by 3.5 percent, eggs - by 11.3 percent, wool - 1.6 percent in the country in January-July compared to the same period of 2013.