September 25, 2012

Azerbaijan to stop grain imports in 2015

Azerbaijan is to fully suspend imports of grain in the country in the next two years.

Sabir Veliyev, head of the Plant Growing Department of the Ministry of Agriculture of Azerbaijan, says that this year country's grain production will reach 2.8 million tonnes, though grain production record (2.9 million tonnes) was achieved in 2008.

"Out of the total production in 2012, 1.8 million tonnes will account for food grain. Since early 2012 the country has also imported 700,000 tonnes of grain from Kazakhstan and Russia," Veliyev said.

He points out that next year Azerbaijan is also expected to increase grain production in accordance with the State Food Security Programme and already in 2015 plans to stop completely importing grain to cover domestic demand (three million tonnes a year) at the expense of its own production.