Agricultural production grew by 4.9 %

In the first nine months of this year, the volume of agricultural production in Azerbaijan amounted to 4.4 billion manat, which is 4.9 % more than in the comparable period of 2012.

According to the committee, the production of livestock products increased by 5.5%, and crop production grew by 4.3%.

Egg production surpassed 1 billion units (+15.1 % ) and milk production surpassed 1.38 million tons (+6.6 %). Stable dynamics is also shown by meat production: from the beginning of the year, there was produced 358 thousand tons of meat in live weight, which is 3.8% more than in January -September 2012. According to the information provided in the SCS, poultry and broiler factories this year produced 49.2 thousand tons of meat in live weight and 409 million eggs. Compared with the same period last year the number of livestock in the country grew by an average of 1 % to 2,728 thousand head of cattle and 8,771 thousand sheep and goats.

This year, with the expansion of the area by 3.9%, the production of grain and leguminous crops (excluding maize) increased 5 % to 2,619 tons. On 1st October, it was harvested 145.5 thousand tons of corn, up 1.3 % over the comparable period last year. In addition, the fields harvested 17.7 million tons of sunflower.

This year's potato production has increased by 3.7% to 948 thousand tons. Vegetable production has increased mainly due to the yield (151 quintals per 1 hectare, plus 1 quintal), and by the beginning of Oct. 1,137.8 thousand tons. It is also true about the production of melons (watermelons and cantaloupes): reduction in acreage by 1.4 million hectares was due to higher yields by 8 quintals per hectare, production amounted to 427 thousand tons (+0.7 %). - 08D-