/By AzerNews/

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan is strengthening state support for the development of livestock in the country.

The President’s “?qrolizinq” Reserve Fund will allocate 15 million manat ($14,305,528) for the development of cattle breeding in Azerbaijan.

In accordance with a document signed by President Ilham Aliyev on August 19, funds from the state budget will be used to import cattle, the breeding of pedigree cattle and its sale by agricultural producers, who are engaged in animal breeding with a 50 percent privilege by leasing.

Another order by President Aliyev is aimed at strengthening state support to improve cattle pedigree, as well as improving the domestic demand of livestock products, and raising livestock with highly productive genetic potential.

The order also increases subsidies to 100 manats ($95) to livestock owners for each bull produced by artificial insemination.

The Cabinet of Ministers was instructed to define the procedure for granting subsidies for each artificially inseminated bull within two months and solve other livestock issues.

Animal breeding is important not only for increasing Azerbaijan's export potential, but also for restoring and protecting the country's food security.

Thanks to agrarian reforms, Azerbaijan has reached a significant shift in production growth and an increase in livestock.Between 2005 and 2012, ?qrolizinq spent 22.86 million to purchase 6,290 heads of pedigree cattle from Europe and CIS.

Some 30 kg of meat was produced per capita in 2012 and the government plans to increase this figure up to 70 kg.

Livestock products in Azerbaijan have been imported from countries like Brazil, Ukraine, and India. In January-April of this year, some 2,337 tons of buffalo meat were imported from India, while 1,067 tons of beef came from Brazil and Ukraine.

Russian suppliers of animal products are also interested in the delivery of their production to Azerbaijan.

Yolchu Khanveli, the representative of the State Veterinary Service at the Azerbaijan Agriculture Ministry said that once they get an offer, they will check the epizootic conditions in the region, where the import of the meat is planned, as well as the availability of appropriate veterinary certificates, quality certificates, and other documents.

With the establishment of large livestock complexes, issues concerning the processing of meat and dairy products, packaging, storage, transportation, and delivery to purchasers were successfully resolved.

Statistics show that by October 2013, about 2.8 million head of cattle and 8.8 million sheep and goats were maintained on the country’s private and large livestock farms.

During this period, farms produced more than 358,000 tons of meat, 3.8 percent more than that of 2012. Milk production reached 1.4 million tons.

Azerbaijan implements measures aimed at increasing livestock population. The country carries out an intensive program of artificial insemination of animals.

In 2012, a total of 88,400 cows were inseminated artificially, eventually producing 59,500 calves. In 2015, the country plans to seed a total 300,000 cows and buffaloes.