Azerbaijan's Sheki-Zagatala region: economic force

Azerbaijan's Sheki-Zagatala economic region includes the administrative areas Balaken, Gakh, Gabala, Oguz, Zagatala and Sheki. This economic region is the third largest in the country on its industrial importance. Over two percent of the nationwide industrial products accounts for it.

Based on the Azerbaijani State Statistics Committee's data, 115 industrial enterprises operated in the Sheki-Zagatala economic region and industrial products in the amount of 60.2 million manat manufactured here in 2010. The private sector share in the production process reached 66.3 percent here.

The industrial structure of the economic region consists of light and food industries that operate on the basis of local agricultural raw materials and natural resources.

Some 13 industrial enterprises, which made products worth 6.5 million manat, operated in Balaken in 2010. The main distinguishing feature of Balaken's industrial production was the production of building bricks. The region produced building bricks in the amount of 15,700 cubic meters.

The number of industrial enterprises in Gakh in 2010 was 29 enterprises with manufactured products worth 3.7 million manat and Oguz -10 enterprises with manufactured products worth 1.2 million manat. Presence of mineral water sources in Gakh and Oguz determined these regions' specialization in the production of mineral and carbonated waters. Some 159,900 decalitres of mineral and carbonated water was produced in Gakh and 0.200 decalitres in Oguz in 2010.

Some 11 industrial enterprises, which made products worth 20.5 million manat, operated in Gabala in 2010. Gabala has well-known factories engaged in the production of fruit and canned vegetables, which produced 1.032 million decalitres of natural fruit juices in 2010.

The basis of the Sheki light industry is sericulture. In 2010, Shaki manufactures raw silk in the amount of 51.8 tons, including commodity - 12.2 tons. Silk cloth was produced in the amount of 735,800 square meters, including commodity - 164,500 square meters. The cotton fabric production hit 6,900 square meters and carpets - 127 square meters. Some 24 industrial enterprise with manufactured products worth 13.9 million manats were recorded here in 2010.

A tobacco fermentation plant operates in Zagatala in connection with the development of tobacco growing here. The plant produced 2,027 tons of fermented tobacco in 2010. The food industry products is various in Zagatala. The region produced 2.5 tons of tea, 4000 decalitres of beer, 0.600 decalitres of soft drinks, 0.100 decalitres of mineral and carbonated water on the basis of local raw materials in 2010. The number of industrial enterprises in Zagatala in 2010 was 28 enterprises with manufactured products worth 14.3 million manat.


Ellada Khankishiyeva
/Trend/