New procurement in the old-fashioned way

In an interview to "Azadlyg" radio on August 29, a head of a kindergarten in a village of Mazrali, Imishli region, Maria Laushova said that there had been adequate baby food problems. Thus, the state sells foodsuffs to kindergartens at higher peices than it cost at Imishly market: "It is necessary to approach a food product question from market price standpoint. A market price for onion is 5 manats; but I have to purchase it from the state at 35 manats. Children eat no apples. When I ask for apples, they send me shrivelled, flimsy ones, and I"m forced to throw them out on the street".

Maria Laushova insists that if funds had been granted directly to kindergartens, it"d be much better. In this case it would be possible to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at the market. In her words, under current circumstances agricultural products delivered by the State Company of Agrarian Trade spoil quickly: "They supply 30 kg of pepper; I cannot store it a month, for there are no large refrigerators at kindergartens. For two months they deliver me a flour of allegedly superior quality; however, black bread is baked of it. Children believe that it is not bread but meat, I have to persuade them that it is bread exactly".

It should be noted that "Azadlyg" radio appealed to the State Company of Agrarian Trade to comment the situation. Having heard a question, a company"s employee sent the correspondent back to various addresses, and even worse, never replied phone calls".

Thousands of viewers looked through Maria Laushova"s statement over YouTube, tens of Facebook social network activists wrote statuses and shared views. However, nor law-enforcement bodies, the State Company of Agrarian Trade, a joint-stock company "Agrarian procurement and supply", nor the Ministry of Agriculture have commented the issue. Instead, the head of the kindergarten underwent pressures, threats, etc. In so doing, her opponents tried to conceal corruption, bewilder the public opinion and thus draw attention away from cardinal problem. With that end in view, the article says: "It"d be appropriate to find out a true goal of the kindergarten head, her psychological conditions in the course of the interview, as well as make her present affirmative evidences. In all probability, the head of the kindergarten protects interests of some groupings or tries to lay her own blame on others. At any rate, there is probability of her removal from a head of kindergarten as not proficient in Azeri. Or maybe, she is seeking to take vengeance on her enemies".

A week after the said statement, the head of the kindergarten in a village of Mazrali, Imishli region, Maria Laushova told "Kavkazinfo" that owing to the fact that she cannot speak Azeri fluently, her views were withdrawn from context and distorted: "I"m Russian-speaking, cannot speak Azeri properly and express my view adequately. Availing of this situation, some press representatives spread false information about my statements. I am not complaining or discontent in the matter of my kindergarten"s supply with food products and their quality. I laid an emphasis on price changes for some products, for I"ve always purchased products for my kindergarten at good and bargain prices".

Maria Mikhaylovna added that her statements were offered as her personal dissatisfaction with the current situation: "As for statements about onion, it"d be appropriate то note that we have never bought a sack of onion for 35 manats, just for 12 manats. I"d like to note once again that I"m Russian-speaking and have no good command of Azeri language, so I failed to express my views in full while others availed themselves of the situation and distorted my point of view".

As a result, truth-seeker Maria-khanum got a severe and threatened to be dismissed. A new statement of Maria Laushova was recorded and caught on video.

In the meanwhile, how far is transparent the activity of joint stock company "Agrarian procurement and supply" ("Aqrar Tədarük və Təchizat")?

It should be remembered that on December 14, 2018 the President of Azerbaijan signed a decree on the establishment of a joint stock company "Agrarian procurement and supply". This decree was meant to liquidate a joint stock company "Procurement and supply of food products" while the above mentioned joint stock company was set up under the Ministry of Agriculture with all shares owned by the state.

It should be borne in mind that registered in October 2016 the joint stock company "Agrarian procurement and supply" became a legal successor to the joint stock company "Procurement and supply of food products".

It ought to be noted that an authorized capital of the new commercial structure is 6 mln manats. The purpose of the joint stock company is to develop production and processing industry, ensure effectiveness and online-mode of work aimed at centralized purchases of agricultural and food products under state order.

It should be noted that a site of the joint stock company "Agrarian procurement and supply" provides no information about the main activity of the company. In particular, it was not possible to get information about company"s purchases of agricultural and food products under state order. Instead, the site provides information about activities unrelated to its main activity (visiting Heydar Aliyev"s tomb, National Flag Day festivities, etc.). As a matter of fact, the site abounds photographs of senior officials.

It should be remembered that the joint stock society was more open for the public before changing its name and management. For example, last year"s information of the joint stock company "Procurement and supply of food products" said that "following results of 9 months of 2018, the joint stock society procured 53, 000 tons of agricultural produce valued at 106 mln manats. A part of 81 mln manats worth products was used for needs of public purchasing organizations (kindergartens, penitentiary system, military units, etc). In the meanwhile, 25 mln manats worth products were expoerted abroad ".

Regretfully, this year it proved impossible to get information about the activity of the joint stock company "Agrarian procurement and supply".

As for the statement of the head of the kindergarten, Maria Laushova from a village of Mazrali, Imishli region, it is essential to note the following.

First, Maria Laushova found the nerve to inform about delinquencies. And we must thank her for courage. Second, the Maria"s statement is to be treated seriously. Not always the centralized organization of purchases of agricultural and food products is effective. In fact, prices for onion and other vegetables vary seasonally. In this case, a consumer has an opportunity to save his funds or purchase highly calorific product. On the other hand, the head of the kindergarten concedes that she is supplied with spoiled, unfit fruits, shriveled apples, and has to throw them out. Maria Laushova is right in stating that it is not possible to store 30 kg of pepper (monthly rate) for a month, for this crop decays. Also, allegedly superior quality flour delivered to the kindergarten by the joint stock company proved to be of lower quality.

It is worth reminding that the current activity of the joint stock company "Agrarian procurement and supply" is reminiscent of service centers of the Soviet period. These centers purchased cheap, unfit and low-quality products from peasants and then documented it at prices 4-5 times high for closed enterprises, trade and public catering objects.

Maria Laushova is right in saying that funds intended for children food should be granted directly to kindergartens. In my view, it"d be more effective if a private sector will be responsible for food purchases under state order.

P. S. Referred to in this connection are the State Company of Trade and the joint stock company "Agrarian procurement and supply". It"d be good for the Ministry of Agriculture to comment the question.