Persimmon exports increase

Due to favourable climatic conditions as well as fertile, almost all fruit-bearing species grow on the territory of Azerbaijan. Of course, Azerbaijan could take advantage of this opportunity by producing various types of fruit for both meeting the domestic needs and sending its high-quality products for export.

Last year, Azerbaijan increased the sale of persimmon by 17.5 percent, the Chairman of the Association of Producers and Exporters of Persimmon, Gadir Yusifov, told Report.

For the whole of 2017, Azerbaijan sold persimmons for a total amount of $ 97 million. In 2018, the cultivation reached $ 114 million, which indicates an increase of 17.5 percent.

Azerbaijani persimmon is mainly exported to Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and the United Arab Emirates, Yusifov said.

"Now there are 4,000 tons of products in the country, which will be exported in the next 15 days," he added.

Generally, the northern part of China is considered the native land of a persimmon. All over the world, there are more than 500 kinds of this fruit. In Azerbaijan, this fruit has been grown for a long time, and the rural inhabitants of our regions know a lot about its beneficial properties. Persimmon is grown in many regions of the country.

The country is one of the major producers and exporters of persimmon and has a great potential in this field.

The Shaki-Zagatala, GubaKhachmaz, Ganja-Gazakh, Aran zones - and in recent decades - Absheron gardens are popular for persimmon growing. Currently, the total area allocated for persimmon production in the regions is about 850 hectares.

The story of introduction of persimmon to Azerbaijan has longstanding roots. In 1889 Professor A. Krasnov brought from Japan a collection of persimmons of 12 varieties, and the first plantings were made in Georgia. The fruits of this tree became very popular among the inhabitants and they began to spread this fruit growing tradition to other places.

Although yet it is unknown who planted the first trees persimmons in Azerbaijan, the persimmon grown in our country has been named "Caucasus persimmon".

The reason for the wide distribution of this fruit is its qualities - relatively frost-resistant, beautiful, with attractive fruits, having high nutritional and healing properties, saturated vitamins and minerals.

Persimmon, cultivated in Azerbaijan, contains large amounts of glucose, fructose, organic acids, carotene, and vitamin C, and other health properties that make it a natural medicine. It helps to fight weakness, anemia, vitamin deficiency and chronic gastrointestinal diseases.

Persimmon is also well known abroad and brings different awards to Azerbaijan, promoting the country.

As as an example, Azerbaijan was represented by more than 30 exporting companies at WorldFood Moscow. High quality and competitive products of Azerbaijani companies were demonstrated at the Made in Azerbaijan stand.

Azerbaijani companies Bal Xurma and Azstarrstar presented persimmons and were awarded gold medals in the 2017 production category.