Country expects high cotton crop

By Azernews

By Abdul Kerimkhanov

Some 100,000 hectares of cotton were planted in Azerbaijan in 2019 and high productivity in cotton harvesting is expected due to relevant measures taken to develop this sector.

Minister of Agriculture Inam Karimov said this in Salyan region in an event to mark the start of cotton harvesting in Azerbaijan.

Karimov said that the agrarian reforms implemented by the government help the development of agriculture.

“Our state gives large support for the development of the agrarian sector, including cotton. Subsidies will be provided for the development of this sector, and favorable conditions will be created in the field of machinery and household water supply. As a result of government support, the agrarian sector has seen a steady growth rate over the last few years,” Karimov noted.

The minister spoke about the complex measures taken to develop cotton production in Azerbaijan, including subsidies that were applied in the cotton industry, provision of farmers with fertilizers, machinery and equipment.

He mentioned that cotton harvesting has already begun in all regions of the country.

Chairman of Aqrolizinq OJSC Elmin Rahmanov said that currently, 435 combines are involved in cotton harvesting by mechanized method and 34 harvesters are stored in reserve.

Imran Jumshudov, Head of Department of Plant Growing, said that the rules of agro-technical service were more strictly followed during the cotton cultivation in 2019, adding that the Ministry introduced modern innovative methods in the cotton industry. 

During the event, the Minister of Agriculture Inam Karimov, the head of the Salyan Executive Power Sevindik Hatamov, representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, officials of the regional executive authorities, heads of the Ministry of Agriculture, State Agrarian Development Centers and cotton farmers started the harvesting process with two combines. Head of the farm Suraddin Guliyev predicted more than 50 centners per hectare this year.

Participants of the event exchanged views on the high productivity expected this year in the cotton fields of the country.

In early 2017, the State Program for 2017-2022 was approved with an aim of strengthening measures directed at developing this sphere. The purpose of the State Program is to develop cotton growing, increase export potential in this sphere, ensure employment of the rural population and increase the production of cotton.