Large food and agriculture exhibitions open in Baku
The 23rd Azerbaijan International Food Industry Exhibition, WorldFood Azerbaijan 2017 and the 11th Azerbaijan International Agriculture Exhibition, CaspianAgro 2017 opened in Baku on May 17.
Over the years, the exhibitions have turned into a reliable platform for traditional meetings between experts, and demonstrations of equipment, goods and services for the food and agriculture industry. The exhibitions to last until May 19 additionally provide an opportunity to find customers, strengthen existing relationships with business partners, and expand to new markets.
President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva viewed the exhibitions at Baku Expo Center.
A total of 331 companies representing 28 countries were participating in the World Food Azerbaijan 2017 and the CaspianAgro 2017 exhibitions. Some 70 percent of these companies are foreign exhibitors, while 30 percent are local ones.
President Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva viewed booths at the exhibitions.
Agriculture Minister Heydar Asadov, addressing the opening ceremony, said that export of Azerbaijan’s agricultural products rose by 44 percent in January-April 2017 as compared to the same period of 2016.
The minister noted that Azerbaijan aims to increase its export annually while the main problem of the world is to ensure the food security.
“The main growth of export over the past four months was observed in the export of fruits and vegetables. As for our expectations for the future, we expect an even greater increase in exports in the coming years,” said Asadov.
In January-March 2017, the volume of agricultural production in Azerbaijan in actual prices was 744 million manat ($440 million) compared to 643.6 million manat ($381 million) in January-March 2016 (an increase of 3.5 percent).
The volume of production in the field of crop production amounted to 17.4 million manat ($10 million), which is 24.6 percent more than in January-March 2016.
The minister, talking to reporters, noted that the country plans to build plants for the production and processing of seeds.
“This year the development of seed production is the main goal facing the agricultural sector of Azerbaijan,” he said. “To achieve this goal, the necessary work is underway. We have already started the construction of large enterprises specializing in the production of potato and vegetable seeds. I think that these enterprises will be put into operation by late 2017. In addition, we launched construction of seed reception centers at our research institutes in a number of regions of Azerbaijan. Some of them are already ready.”
The Ministry completed the creation of an agrochemical laboratory in 11 regions of the country, Asadov added.
"Currently, trainings are underway with participation of specialists from Turkey and other countries, after which in the coming months we will begin a full analysis of the soils in these laboratories," the minister said, noting that these analysis will improve the agricultural specialization of the regions.
The creation of agrochemical laboratories is one of the steps taken by the Ministry to improve the material and technical basis of the agricultural industry. These laboratories will be both veterinary and phytosanitary.
WorldFood Azerbaijan 2017 is one of the most important and significant events in the region’s food industry. The exhibition is organized with support from the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) and National Confederation of The Entrepreneurs (Employers) Organizations of Azerbaijan Republic (AEC). The organizers of WorldFood Azerbaijan are Iteca Caspian and ITE Group.
WorldFood Azerbaijan 2017 participants are demonstrating products in the following sections: equipment for the food industry, food, vegetables and fruits, meat and poultry, coffee and tea, canned, dairy products, groceries, ingredients, confectionery and flour products, beverages, refrigeration systems, laboratory equipment and much more.
A number of leading companies from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Greece, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Russia, Spain and other countries are taking part in the annual exhibition.
CaspianAgro 2017 brings together both manufacturers and distributors of agricultural products and equipment from Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Italy, Turkey, Russia and Sri Lanka, as well as other countries.
CaspianAgro 2017 exhibition represents a good venue to get acquainted with the latest trends. It offers wide opportunities to expand cooperation and establish new business relationships, hereby boosting investment inflow and introduction of new technologies in the agricultural sector of Azerbaijan.