“Cocoon-2020: upcoming tasks” – Republican Meeting in Kurdamir

On February 14, the Republican Meeting was held on “Cocoon-2020: upcoming tasks” in Kurdamir. Representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture’ apparatus, officials of different district executive power structures, leaderships of “Azerbaijan Industrial Corporation” OJSC, heads of the subordinate bodies of Ministry of Agriculture, State Agricultural Development Centers, representatives of Scientific Research Institutes, 200 farmers who is engaged in cotton growing, as well as representatives of cotton processing enterprises in 40 regions of Azerbaijan presented in the meeting held in Heydar Aliyev Center.

Before the meeting, Inam Karimov Minister of Agriculture, Jeyhun Jafarov, the head of the executive branch of Kurdamir and the participants in the event got acquainted with mobile type of barns for silkworm breeding based on models from Azerbaijan, Turkey, Uzbakistan and China for the first time in our country. Minister Inam Karimov noted that every region where is engaged with silkworm breeding were able to create barns based on models provided by their own resources. He talked over the views of mobile sites based on models and exchanged ideas with farmers on the areas of development of cocoon growing and silkworm breeding.

Opening the meeting, Jeyhun Jafarov, the head of the executive branch of the Kurdamir informed about the implementation work on the socio-economic development of the region in recent years. The head of the executive branch said that due to the attention and care of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on the socio-economic development of the regions, all regions of the country were also updated in Kurdamir: “Approved by presidential decree of November 27, 2017. A number of steps were taken in the implementation of the “State Program for the Development of Cotton growing and Silkworm breeding in the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2018–2025”, and as a result of targeted measures, high achievements were achieved in the field of cotton growing. Last year, our silkworm breeders shipped 22.6 tons, which is 6.3 times more than in 2016. Our silkworm breeders earn about 204 thousand manat".

Speaking at the meeting, Minister of Agriculture Inam Karimov said that the development of the agricultural sector was declared as a priority by Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan: “The Minister said that as a result of consecutive measures, the agricultural sector entered a new phase and pace of development in this field is being continued. As a result of government support, the agricultural sector has seen a steady growth rate over the last few years. It is no coincidence that last year alone, the total volume of agricultural production increased by 7.2% compared to the previous year, including crop production by 11.7% and animal husbandry production by 3.5%”.

Noting that Azerbaijan has a rich history of cocoon growing and silkworm breeding, as well as great potential, the Minister of Agriculture said that the Ministry was entrusted with the development of this sector: “Azerbaijan ranked second in the former Soviet Union for the production of cocoon growing after Uzbakistan and the first in terms of the quality of silk produced. Our main goal is to revive this tradition and increase productivity in this field. In Azerbaijan, people engaged in the production of cocoon receive a subsidy in the amount of 5 manat per kilogram of cocoon delivered to processing enterprises. In 2016–2019, 4.5 million infected mulberry bushes were delivered from China to distribution areas to the cocoon growing community to strengthen the negotiating feed base. In accordance with the investment program for 2019, the construction of 200 tons of wet cocoon drying plants and 120 square meters of incubation rooms in the regions of Zardab, Fizuli, Barda, Agsu, Zagatala is nearing completion. In a word, our country provides multifaceted state support for silkworm breeders. It is gratifying that, as in all fields of the agricultural sector, there is progress in cocoon growing production. Last year, 643 tons of cocoon were delivered, which is 25% more”.

In his speech, the Minister touched upon the complex implemented measures to develop cocoon growing in Azerbaijan. Inam Karimov informed farmers about the preparations for the cocoon growing season and the forthcoming tasks, the development of cement production, the goals and prospects, as well as the implementation work in the field of agriculture and the tasks ahead.

Then Kamran Nabizade, general director of the “Azerbaijan Industrial Corporation”, on the theme of “Targets in the production and processing of cocoon,” Imran Jumshudov director of the Agrarian Science and Innovation Center under the Ministry of Agriculture, on the theme of “The results of 2019 on the cocoon production in the country and the forthcoming tasks for 2020”, Akram Fataliyev director of the Gakh Breeding Sericulture Station on the theme of “Organization of hybrid silkworm seeding and incubation” made a speech. Akgul Bagirova silkworm breeder from Fizuli delivered her thoughts on the development of cocon growing.   

During the meeting, the sides exchanged views on the supply of mulberry seeds, trends in the development of hybrid silkworm breeding, and the organization of incubation were registered.

At the end of the talks, it was said that meetings in this format would continue and farmers would be informed about the implementation work to address the issues raised.