January 11, 2012

Azerbaijan reports higher grain yield at 2.31 million tonnes

Azerbaijan gathered 2.31 million tonnes of cereals, crops and legume (except corn) at a productivity ratio of 24.7 quintals per hectare from a 933,500-hectare area as of December 1, 2011, the Azerbaijani Agriculture Ministry said Tuesday (Jan 10).

"Yield per hectare, compared to 2010, increased by 4.8 quintals, while crop volume, by 442,000 tonnes," the report says. During 11 months of 2011, the cost of crop production at stable prices increased by 10.7% compared to 2010.

"During those 11 months 2.458 million tonnes of cereals and crops and legume, 235,300 tonnes of sugar beet, 938,500 tonnes of potatoes, 1.197 million tonnes of vegetables, 477,900 tonnes of melons and gourds, 761,200 tonnes of fruit, 3,580 tonnes of tobacco and 57,900 tonnes of cotton were produced', the report says.

In accordance with the State Programme on reliable provision of the Azerbaijani population with food products in 2008-2015, an area of 1.6 million hectares was sown to get the 2011 harvest of which 967,300 hectares, or 60.2% accounted for an area under cereals and crops and legume. "The state programme is being successfully implemented", the report says.