EP studies Azerbaijani agricultural potential

Azerbaijani Agriculture Minister Ismet Abasov met with representatives of the European Parliament and German Bundestag in Baku today to examine the potential of Azerbaijani agriculture.

The main purpose of the meeting was to familiarize with the potential of the country's agriculture, to get the information on the situation with refugees and internally displaced persons, and truthful information about the Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied territories.

"The growth in agriculture during the first five months amounted to 5.4 percent, while the number of people employed in this area - 1.5 million people," Abasov said.

As a result of establishing new production and processing enterprises by diversifying the economy in 2004-2011, about 1,007 new jobs were created in the country, including 265,000 - in agriculture.

The minister spoke in details about the ministry's tasks and current steps taken to achieve these goals. He also stressed that the country is looking for the ways of entering the foreign markets to sell domestic agricultural products of high quality.

"As Azerbaijan is not a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), many obstacles are being created for Azerbaijani products to be delivered to the European markets," he said.

"I hope when we become a WTO full member, the Azerbaijani products will be delivered there in large volumes."

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the situation with refugees and internally displaced persons were also discussed.


/Trend/