Azerbaijan, Russia strengthen agricultural ties in online ministerial meeting

A virtual meeting was held between the Azerbaijani Agriculture Minister, Majnun Mammadov, and his Russian counterpart Oksana Lut to discuss current and future cooperation in the agricultural sector.

The meeting emphasized that agricultural collaboration between the two nations is developing dynamically, just like in other sectors of the economy.

Minister Oksana Lut noted that agriculture is one of the key areas of cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan. She expressed Russia’s keen interest in expanding collaboration in the agri-food sector and strengthening business ties between entrepreneurs from both countries. She also stated that Russia is ready to fully meet Azerbaijan’s demand for grain products and announced that a delegation of leading Russian grain exporters will visit Azerbaijan in May. Lut underlined the importance of boosting cooperation in other agricultural areas, including fisheries.

Azerbaijan’s Minister Majnun Mammadov highlighted the importance of increasing the trade turnover of agricultural products between the two countries, stating that there is significant potential for growth. He thanked Minister Lut for Russia’s active participation in last November’s 29th session of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) held in Baku, and invited Russian companies to take an active role in the upcoming “Caspian Agro” exhibition — the largest agricultural fair in the Caucasus.

During the meeting, both sides discussed a wide range of cooperation areas, including boosting trade in agricultural and food products, transferring cutting-edge technologies, implementing digital transformation and research-exchange programs, and launching joint academic initiatives. Notably, they explored the possibility of dual-degree programs between Azerbaijan State Agricultural University and one of Russia’s leading agricultural universities.

The two ministers also exchanged views on advancing collaboration in plant breeding, seed technologies, and animal disease control. Both parties stressed the importance of maintaining regular dialogue to unlock new opportunities and strengthen ties in the agricultural sector.