The Azerbaijan Find for Promotion of Export and Investments (AZPROMO) is in talks with the European Union on lifting the ban on nuts export from Azerbaijan to European markets.
Teymur Tagiyev, the AZPROMO Manager on Enhancing Export, said that the ban was linked with the aflatoxin revealed in the composition of nuts exported from Azerbaijan to European markets. Tagiyev said it was a result of violation of transportation and storage terms.
AZPROMO delegation has recently visited France to resolve the problem. European experts are expected to visit Azerbaijan to assist in lifting the ban and resolve a problem with aflatoxin. They should assess the production, storage and transportation of nuts in the country. Mr. Tagiyev said that the producers can hardly resolve the problem and an initiative should be made by the union of producers. The key objective of the Alliance will be the problem resolution with aflotoxin and establishing the production in line with the European standards.
The European standards are expected to enter the country in the first quarter of 2007. Support will be rendered within the framework of technical assistance of the German Technical Society (GTZ).
All necessary work has been done for the establishment of an Alliance of Nut Exporters. At present talks are being held with producers for the resolution of an administering body. Mr. Tagiyev did not exclude possible delegating of management authorities of the Alliance to AZPROMO.
Presently, the key nuts producers in the country are BakFem, Gilan, ElFem, which possess tremendous production capacities. Enterprises BakFem and Gilan are fully provided with European equipment, but they still have problems of technological and management character, as well as aflatoxin element in the nuts.
