Minister: Sown areas to increase by 200,000 hectares to create large farms in Azerbaijan

According to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's decree, the Ministry of Agriculture aims to create large farms to improve the effectiveness of measures implemented in the agrarian sphere, Minister of Agriculture Ismat Abbasov told media.

"In this regards, it is planned to increase the sown areas by 200,000 hectares," he said. "As it is difficult to increase the sown areas by 200,000 hectares at once, we plan to expand them by 100,000 hectares at the first phase."

At present, the negotiations on the allocated areas and other details are held with the State Committee for Land and Cartography. Afterwards, large farms will be created.

It is planned to import 1,600 heads of breeding stock this year within the execution of the presidential decree on "Additional measures on cattle breeding development".

"Today, Azerbaijan builds a lot of milk processing plants," he said. "The existing production capacity is not enough to provide these enterprises with milk."

It is necessary to improve livestock farming in the country. About 1,600 heads of breeding cattle will be imported. Moreover, the country also develops artificial insemination, he said.

About 5 million manat were allocated from the state budget-2011 of the Reserve Fund of the Azerbaijani President to Agroleasing to import breeding animals from abroad and sell them through leasing with a 50-percent-discount to agricultural producers engaged in livestock.

Agroleasing announces tender for supplying 1,600 heads of dairy cattle breeding. The tender was announced for two lots: delivery of 1,400 cows of Holstein-Friesian and Swiss breed and 200 heads of Simmental breed. The deliveries must be conducted on the following schedule: 600 heads - in May, 1,000 heads in September 2011.


/Trend/