Agriculture in Azerbaijan (January-March 2015)

2015 has been declared as the Year of Agriculture in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on additional measures to strengthen state support for agricultural development in March. According to the decree, the State Seed Fund will be established under the Ministry of Agriculture.

The volume of agricultural production in Azerbaijan in actual prices amounted to 629.3 million manat in January-March 2015 or by 3.4 percent more compared to the same period of last year.

According to the Azerbaijani State Statistics Committee's report as of three months, during this period the livestock production increased by 3.3 percent, crop production - by 5.9 percent.

Plant cultivation

The agricultural enterprises, private entrepreneurs, households have started spring field work in Azerbaijan since January. The agro-technical measures are carried out and the necessary agricultural machinery is ensured. As of April 1, 2015, the crop covered an area of ​​116,800 hectares in Azerbaijan, which is by 2.7 percent less than in the same period of last year.

Some ​​28,300 hectares of the total cultivated area accounted for the perennial plants, 11,000 hectares - potatoes, 7,300 hectares - vegetables, 1,030 hectares - cereals and legumes.

Thus, some 46,500 hectares of land were planted with perennials, 28,800 hectares - potatoes, 25,100 hectares - vegetables, 10,600 hectares - cereals and legumes, 3,200 hectares - melons and gourds, 1,700 hectares - sugar beet, 774 hectares - sunflower, 64 hectares - cotton.

The area planted with wheat increased by 78.6 percent, barley - 47.4 percent compared to the same period of last year. The area planted with potatoes decreased by 2.2 percent, cotton - by 8.6 percent, melons - by 11.6 percent.

Spring plants planted in Azerbaijani agriculture, ha

Source: Azerbaijani State Statistics Committee

Cattle breeding

So, the production of meat hit 109,800 metric tons, milk - 426,900 metric tons, 390.1 million eggs in January-March 2015.

Meat production increased by 2.5 percent, milk - by 4.3 percent, eggs - by 5.1 percent in the country during this period of the year compared to January-March 2014.

There were 2,701,900 head of cattle, including 1,298,400 cows and buffaloes, 8,784,400 sheep and goats, 6,800 pigs in the Azerbaijani livestock sector as of April 2014. The number of cows and buffaloes increased by 0.2 percent, sheep and goats - by 1.6 percent, pigs - 10.3 percent compared to 2014.

The timely veterinary measures, as well as the work towards improving the productive quality of the cattle breed had a positive impact on the dynamic development of livestock.

Production of meat, milk and eggs, tons

Source: Azerbaijani State Statistics Committee