FAO, Azerbaijani company starting co-op in hazelnut growing

An executive agreement has been signed between the UN Food and Agriculture Organization - FAO and Azerbaijan’s Agrarco LLC on cooperation and coordination of activities within the project entitled “Catalyzing the efficiency and sustainability of Azerbaijan’s hazelnut sector” (HAZER), Report informs.

The project provides for measures to identify the causes of aflatoxin in the production and processing of nuts, introduce best practices in this area, and increase the capacity of farmers.

To do this, the partner company will provide nut producers with the necessary territories and equipment.

The head of the FAO office in Azerbaijan, Melek Cakmak, noted that hazelnut growing is the most profitable sphere of the agricultural sector in Azerbaijan: “This product is in great demand in export markets. Improvements in this sector, various activities are aimed at a steady increase in the quantity and quality of production and export of nuts in the country, and rural development by contributing to economic diversification.”

As part of the FAO-Azerbaijan Partnership Program, together with the Ministry of Agriculture, a project has been implemented in Azerbaijan since 2020 to improve the efficiency in the field of hazelnut production. The main direction of the project is to increase efficiency in hazelnut growing, improve the quality of products.