Agriculture

The majority of the population of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (about 70 percent) is rural people and occupies with agriculture. The current average share of agriculture in created additional value is one-third.
The first ever agrarian reform of Azerbaijan conducted in Nakhchivan, the transfer of soil to private property, and the privatization of the property of collective (kolkhoz) and state (sovkhoz) farms led the way for swift realization of agricultural reforms in comparison with other fields. The relevant laws and decrees were issued in order to ensure the dynamic of positive changes attained during this time-period and to overcome the problems encountered.
The development of agriculture in the autonomous republic is ensured thanks to intensive factors. The measures such as state supply of different sorts of fruitful seeds and fertilizers to landowners, regular improvement or reestablishment of irrigation systems, delivery of very modern technical equipments to farmers through leasing and etc. have had substantial influence on the growth of agricultural produce. The irrigation of nearly 16,800-hectare territory is realized and 6,919-hectare new plot of land is cultivated owing to the construction of Heydar Aliyev water-house with 100 million cubic meter capacity.
Currently, the first formation stage of agrarian relations relying upon private property has been completed thanks to the conducted agricultural reforms. The systematic measures are fulfilled in order to ensure switch-over of mentioned processes to higher level and formation of modern agrarian-industrial sector. Among these measures, to support the formation of organized trade by state, to provide proper conditions for the necessary production of main foodstuffs, to employ efficient control system on foodstuffs and to prevent the products and services which are inconsistent with ecological, sanitary and veterinary standards, and the state protection to the exportation of agricultural goods and to render the proper credits and technical equipments to the enterprises dealing with agriculture are more important.
"The State Program on reliable supply of foodstuff to the people in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic during 2008-2015" endorsed on 17 September 2008 set new directions for raise of industrial production. So in comparison with the volume of agricultural production equal to 222 million 964 thousand AZN, in 2008, the production volume of 2013 increased by 2,4 times; the volume of livestock business also increased by 91,9 percent and reached 114 million 163 thousand.
Refrigerating storehouses for product preserving have a considerable role to stimulate the agricultural production. During last two years refrigerating storehouses and foodstuff terminals to preserve potato, fruit and vegetable, and varied-capacity storehouses to preserve grain for long time were made functional. In 2013, 2 refrigerating storehouses with the capacity of 250 ton were put in commission and the total number of Refrigerating storehouses with the capacity of 11 thousand 970 reached 17.
Farming has always been prioritized in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, in the context of climate and soil peculiarities, as well as domestic demand. The grain-growing is the main strategic field in the autonomous republic. Therefore, special attention and care was attached to the development of grain-growing, several credits were allocated for grain-growers.
Comparing with 2012, the grain cultivation area enlarged up to 359 hectare. The granary holds 102 thousand 960 ton of the product, what surpasses the indicator of 2012 by 1.1 percent. To satisfy requirements of increasing population of the city of Nakhchivan in 2013, three new bunkers for grain storage with a capacity of 9 thousand tons were constructed. And barn capacity for long-term storage of grain was also increased from 18 thousand to 27 thousand tons.
For crops, in 2013, 109 468 tons of grain and leguminous plants (without corn), 3882,9 tons of corn and 694,9 thousand tons of sunflower were allocated. The 2013 year’s harvest made 66497 tons of vegetables, 39037,5 tons of vegetables and melon cultures for supply of provisions , 43276,2 tons of fruit and 15112,7 tons of grapes.
Potatoes harvesting in 2013 exceeded the last year’s indicator for 4,7 percent, i.e. 41296,8 tons of potatoes.
A lot of important measures have been carried out for the development of cattle-breeding alongside plant-growing. To this end, many credit opportunities have been presented to farmers dealing with cattle-breeding by the banks and other financial organizations so as to ensure assistance to buy and keep livestock.
On the other hand, the State Veterinary Service under the Ministry of Agriculture of the Nakhchivan AR has been established under the aegis of the decree of the Chairman of the Nakhchivan AR Supreme Assembly dated November 30, 2005, in order to ensure modern veterinary service. Continuous measures are carried out regarding the improvement of material and technical equipment of veterinary service. All of these have positive influence on cattle-breeding.
In fact, the number of neat cattle was 106 thousand 215 and that of small cattle was 635 thousand 464 in the autonomous republic as of 01 January 2014. Thus, the indicators for 2013 exceed the last year’s indicators for 1,4 and 1,6 percent.
In consideration of poultry and eggs’ being in great demand in the domestic market, in 2013, 14 new poultry farms satisfying the requirements of population, were built at the expense of local producers.
The honey production in 2013 also exceeded the last year’s indicator for 11 percent and made 1304 ton.
In 2013, the economic enterprises of agrarian sector were granted the loans for the sum over 14 million 784 thousand AZN.
As a result of realization of agricultural policy in the autonomous republic for 2013, there was made more than 337 million 127 thousand AZN from agricultural production, that exceeds the last year’s indicator for 6,9 percent.