Azerbaijan eyes to export alternative energy solutions

By Azernews

By Rashid Shirinov

After a lapse of 23 years cotton sowing has started on the territory near the Leletepe height, which was liberated from the Armenian occupation in April 2016.

Resident of the Horadiz village Rasim Agayev told Azertac that he will grow cotton on an area of 200 hectares near the contact line.

“Earlier, this territory was very dangerous. After the liberation of the Leletepe height from the occupation, we can easily engage in cotton growing here. We started sowing cotton a few days ago,” the farmer said.

Rufat Mehdiyev, an agronomist of the cotton production company MKT Istehsalat Kommersiya, told reporters that the company concluded a contract with 161 land owners on the cotton sowing on an area of 820 hectares.

“Farmers are fully provided with seeds, fertilizers and equipment," he said.

The cotton sowing is expected to increase fourfold in the Fuzuli region of Azerbaijan as compared to 2016. In detail, the region’s agricultural office informed that cotton was grown on an area of 505 hectares in Fuzuli last year; however, it is planned to sow cotton seeds on an area of 2,050 hectares in the current season. Currently, sowing of cotton successfully continues in the region.

Azerbaijan expects to see a real growth in cotton production, as the government has focused on giving a new life to this industry. At the recent conference on the development of cotton-growing in Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev said that the government has been providing large state support to cotton growing since last year.

This industry has already created 64,000 jobs in Azerbaijan during last year, while more 200,000 jobs on cotton-growing are expected to appear in the country this year.