Azerbaijan brought self-sufficiency in meat and dairy products to 90 percent, Agriculture Minister Inam Karimov said at an event dedicated to the launch of a partnership program with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Under the partnership program with FAO, Azerbaijan will not only be a beneficiary, but also act as a donor country and finance various projects.
The minister noted that agriculture is one of the priority areas in the non-oil sector of Azerbaijan. Incentive measures are being taken in the country to improve the quality of products.
“In 2018, the total agricultural production increased by 4.6 percent compared to 2017. Besides, Azerbaijan’s self-sufficiency in meat and dairy products reached 90 percent, while the country’s self-sufficiency in vegetables and fruits exceeded 100 percent,” the minister said.
Karimov stressed that the main directions of development of the agrarian sector are food security, provision of healthy food and the development of rural areas in the country.
“In this regard, our priorities coincide with those of FAO. FAO is one of the most important partners of Azerbaijan on international arena,” the minister added.