Baku, Azerbaijan, June 7
By Azad Hasanli - Trend:
The World Bank (WB) Agricultural Competitiveness Improvement Project in Azerbaijan may be extended until 2020, a source in the Azerbaijani government told Trend June 7.
The expected completion date of the project is December 31, 2018. However, the Azerbaijani government asked the bank to revise this date so that it would be possible to implement all the activities planned as part of the project.
The source noted that this step would be logical given that the implementation of the project approved in mid-2014 started only in 2015 due to certain delays.
So far, the Azerbaijani government has already received over $17 million out of $53.2 million [the total cost of the project]. The bank is expected to allocate another $9 million during this year and $8.1 million next year.
The Agricultural Competitiveness Improvement Project was approved on Sept. 30, 2013.
The purpose of the project is to facilitate the access of agricultural producers to markets by strengthening sanitary and phytosantiary services, enhancing selected value chains, and providing financial services to agricultural business enterprises.
Azerbaijan has been a WB member since 1992.
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