Azerbaijan sees boost in agriculture

7.4 percent of tomatoes in the Russian market fall to a share of Azerbaijan while the figure was at the level of 1 percent in the last year.

The minister said that the country has also started to export beans, rice, barley, dried fruit, as well as meat and dairy products.

“We have also expanded export geography. Alongside with the Russian market we export to Iran, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Irak and Turkmenistan,” he added. The growth of the domestic production considerably decreased import of the animal produce.

“The imports of meat and meat products have decreased by 2.8 percent, while the decrease in the milk and diary products amounted to 15.7 percent, the import of big cattle has decreased by 74.5 percent while the decrease in light beasts was 94.2 percent."

“Regardless devaluation of the national currency this year, the retail prices for meat has decreased by 20 percent in manat terms on the domestic market, which is considered to be one of the main accomplishments,” he said.

Asadov stressed that the country expects to output more than 100,000 tons of harvest in 2016, which is by 3 times more as compared to 2015.

He noted that the sown area for cotton is expected to cover 100,000120,000 hectares. That will increase the cotton production to 250,000 tons.

Development of non-oil sector such as agriculture remains a top priority for the country. The government supports the development of agriculture at the state level, ensures all necessary brand-new equipment, implements various agricultural projects in an effort to bolster domestic production and expand the range of the goods to enter the foreign markets.