Review of Agriculture in Azerbaijan (January-June 2013)

The spring-field work almost finished in Azerbaijan in June, and spring plants were sowed by June 24 on an area of 363,100 hectares, which is 2.9 percent less than in the same period of 2012. Reduction in the size of sowing area was connected with the adverse weather conditions that prevailed in the country at the beginning of sowing operations.

According to the Azerbaijani State Statistics Committee, potatoes were planted in an area of ​​65,300 hectares, vegetables - 77,200 hectares, grain and legumes - 71,800 hectares, water melons and melons - 28,500 hectares, cotton - 23,400 hectares, sunflower for feed - 9,300 hectares, sugar beet - 5,000 hectares, 73,500 - perennials.

Grain and leguminous crops, including corn, accounted for 19.8 percent, technical plants - 10.9 percent, potatoes, vegetables and melons - 47.1 percent, fodder plants - 21.1 percent in the structure of spring crops.

Azerbaijan expects grain harvest worth 2.9 million tons by late 2013 or by almost 100,000 tons more than in 2012.

Sowing of spring plants in Azerbaijani agriculture, hectare

Source: Azerbaijani State Statistics Committee

A harvesting process was actively conducted. As of July 4, around 1.607 million tons of autumn and spring grain crops were collected in Azerbaijan. This exceeds the figure for the same period of last year by 1.4 percent.

The farms produced 343,000 tons of vegetables or 8.8 percent more than during this period last year, 274,900 tons of potatoes (an increase of 11.8 percent), 80,300 tons of fruits and berries (12.1 percent), 66.7 tons of tobacco or 23.5 percent more than last year.

Around 288.8 tons of tea leaves were produced at tea plantations in the reporting period or 4 percent more compared to July 1, 2012. Around 35,600 tons of water melons and melons were gathered from the fields or 25.9 percent less than in the same period of last year.

During the reporting period, the country produced 221,500 tons of meat in live weight, 913,100 tons of milk, 685.4 million eggs, 15 tons of wool. Meat production increased by 3.2 percent, milk - by 6.6 percent, eggs - by 14.2 percent, wool - 2.6 percent in January-June this year compared to the first six months of 2012.

Production of main livestock products in Jan.-June 2013, thousand tons

Source: Azerbaijani State Statistics Committee

There were 2.730 heads of cattle, including 1.308 cows and buffalos, 8.832 sheep and goats in Azerbaijan's cattle-breeding as of early 2013. The number of cows and buffalos increased by 1.2 percent, sheep and goats - by 1 percent compared to the same period of 2012.

In January-June, agricultural output in Azerbaijan at current prices amounted to 2.123 million manat, an increase by 4.9 percent compared to the same period of 2012. The crop production increased by 4.5 percent, livestock production - by 5.1 percent.

The growth rates in this sector of Azerbaijan are connected with the measures on stimulating the development of agriculture in the country. So, a decision was made in June 2013 to provide 9,474 producers with 3.228 million manat to purchase 14.5 million tons of mineral fertilizers for processing 83,200 hectares of land.

At the same time, around 30,000 tons of ammonium nitrate worth 13.18 million manat have been purchased since early 2013 to meet the manufacturers' needs of fertilizers at the expanse of 4.7 million manat allocated from the President's Reserve Fund, as well as re-used funds of "Agrolizing". Around 8.2 million tons more will be purchased and delivered to the country by late 2013. As of July 1, sale of 54,000 tons of fertilizers to agricultural produces was ensured at preferential terms.

"Agrolizing" brought 1,648 units of agricultural machinery, including 1,000 combine harvesters, 394 tractors, four corn harvesters and 1,150 trailers into the country and delivered to farmers in 2013. Around 15 million manat were allocated to "Agrolizing" from the President's Reserve Fund. Around 150 combine harvesters will be delivered from Finland to Azerbaijan through these funds. Around 11.05 million manat were allocated by "Agrolizing" for the purchase of pedigree cattle.