Membership at the World Trade Organization (WTO) promises acute rivalry to the Azerbaijani enterprises, as the market will become open and presence of foreign companies is inevitable. The majority observes the international quality and security standards as a norm, whereas the most local enterprise have less studied them yet.
Relevance to European requirements on standardization enables the producers without additional efforts to enter the European market with own produce. Thus, many countries refuse from national requirements on certification and accept the model close to European standards, as most countries demand the observation of merely the European standards. Along with the national system the European certification model exists in the United States, as well. They smoothly transit to the national certification system. It is actual for foods industry, medical appliances and others.
The Azerbaijani enterprises can suspend production if they immediately transfer to European and American standards. It is necessary to apply by-stage transition, Ramiz Hasanov, the head of the Agency for Standardization, Metrology and Patent of Azerbaijan, said. The quality of local production is not so poor, but there are still some spheres in need of partial transition to European standards.
The Head of the committee regrets for the undesirable level of the local food industry in the country. Unfortunately, there is no rivalry in Azerbaijan and our key task is fighting with enterprises producing products of poor quality, which impedes the nig companies to enter the market, Hasanov underlined.
The agency conducts inspection in the enterprises specialized in the production of sausage, drinks, and water, as well as in the industrial facilities.
Over the last few years the security of food has become attracting unprecedented attention of society. Every year hundred thousand of people worldwide fall ill as a result of food poisoning. Numerous panics around food products broke consumers confidence in the security of food, caused doubts in the adherence of industry to a principle of manufacturing safe food products and the capability of regulating bodies to control the food objectives. The safety of food concerns almost every resident of the planet.
Of course, some local enterprises, including the food industry, now are transiting to
European standards on production. But in this case it is not dealt with control over the maintenance of dangerous substances, rather management system and organization of production establishment of terms providing for production of low-quality goods is very difficult. But every product by these enterprises can have a modern quality mark ISO 9001 in the frame quality guaranteed.
We should new standard. Bur there are standards, which will remain unchanged, while some of them are to be reviewed, he says. Hasanov promised that the issue linked quality symbol would be resolved by the end of the year. In this case private companies, but not state bodies, will carry out the certification.
All enterprises participating in the process of production and consumption of goods are responsible for provision of security of food products. It is necessary to establish cooperation of many organizations and individuals in the regulatory bodies, as well as food industry to provide for adequate protection of health and interests of consumers. The consumers should also make their contribution through adhering healthy ration of food and hygiene processing and proper preparation of food products not to damage neither own nor others health.
There is a necessity in Azerbaijan for implementing a system of measures in line with the advanced parameters of food security. A member of the permanent parliamentary commission on economic policy, Ali Masimov, noted the importance of injecting some changed and supplements to the law on Defense of Consumer Rights. Unless the urgent measures are taken for provision of food security in the country, in future the society can face with serious outcomes. MP assures that Azerbaijan should resolve a problem of food security trough increasing local production, as the production of ecologically pure products is more profitable in Azerbaijan than any other country of world.
Since the beginning of the year the Agriculture Ministry of Azerbaijan ceased the activities of over 20 companies, which were involved in production and import of alcohol drinks. The Agriculture ministry said that there are 39 alcohol drinks importing companies in Azerbaijan. The same measures has been taken in respect to companies which are involved in manufacturing ethyl spirits and drinks. The activities of 5 companies Sharab-1 in Ismayilli, Zaman in Samukh, Nargil in Baku, Sharab-3 in Agsu and Imid in Agstafa have been suspended.
The Ministry has sent appeals to addresses the companies are registered and it turned out the companies do not exist in these addresses. Ismat Abbasov, the Agriculture Minister, said that the Ministries of Taxes, Economic Development, as well the State Customs Committee were informed of the fact.
30 companies involved in the production of alcohol drinks have been registered. Major requirement set for the companies desiring to restore their activities is to submit to the Agriculture Ministry an annual report on their activities, the minister said.
As to chicken production in the country, following the spread of bird flu in the territory of the country, use of chicken has become somehow risky. The Agriculture Ministry assures that, in case bird flu virus is found in any enterprises al birds will be terminated there. So far, bird flu virus has been found only at Gilazi poultry and a total of 500,000 birds have been terminated here. The people will be immediately informed of every case of disease in other enterprises.
Thus, Azerbaijan with keen aspiration of joining to the WTO should carry out trade agreements such as the WTO Agreement on organization of sanitary and phito-sanitary measures and an agreement on technical barriers in trade, which are of vital importance for access to international food markets. Today the country must demonstrate that the measures taken for ensuring the security of foodstuff actually guarantee security of heath protection and do not put excess hindrance in trade. The competition capacity at the international market requires demonstrating the application of proper control of quality of foods products at al stages of production, refinery and consumption.
As of estimation by international registrars, the presence of quality management at enterprises increases it cots approximately 10%, provides to optimize of work with suppers of raw materials and components, make the goods more rivalry, and cover demand and inquiries of consumers. The investor with pleasure invests funds in the production where the quality management system has been applied. After all, all depends on partners, who frequently put forward the existence of quality management system as one of terms for the suppliers.