Azerbaijan, Baku, March 13 / Trend H. Valiyev /
Azerbaijan plans to fully provide itself with grain from domestic production in 2013, Azerbaijani Deputy Agriculture Minister Bahram Aliyev told media on Wednesday.
"Today, Azerbaijan has produced 2.8 million tons of grain when the annual demand for these products is three million tons," deputy minister said.
He said that the remaining 200,000-300,000 tons must be ensured by imports.
"The required volume of grain has been delivered to Azerbaijan to meet the demand," Aliyev said. "Azerbaijan has been buying grain from Kazakhstan."
Sowing has taken place this year. "I think that there will be no problem. We plan to provide ourselves with grain for this year."
Around 800 hectares were allocated for the sowing area in 2012, of which about 570,000 hectares comprising wheat, with 230,000 hectares for barley and other grain. Last year, the area under wheat increased by 5.3-5.4 per cent compared to 2011.
According to forecasts as of 2013, about 965,000 hectares will be allotted for the grain area, of which about 700,000 hectares are wheat and 250,000 hectares - barley and other cereals.
