Inam Karimov took part in the process of grain harvesting with modern combines in the mountainous regions of Shamakhi

Grain harvesting is being completed in Azerbaijan. Currently, only harvesting is being continued in hard-to-reach, high-altitude areas. This year, for the first time in mountain regions, modern, fully computerized mining combines were involved in the harvesting process. Combines that can operate at sloping angles without loss are able to work without interference even at 20 percent humidity.

Minister of Agriculture, Inam Karimov followed the progress of harvesting operations in the village of Gizmeydan in Shamakhi district on high-altitude, inaccessible terrain with the help of modern combines. Soltanpasha Malikov, a farmer, noted that previously 25-30 percent of the crop was lost during harvesting in such territories, and during harvesting according to the modern methods, the grain was removed until the last month. He stressed that despite the drought this year, agrotechnical measures to care for crops have reached a high yield.

Minister Inam Karimov told reporters that more than 1 million hectares of grain were sown in Azerbaijan this year. Recalling that the harvesting season has already been completed, the Minister noted that in mountainous areas, cleaning through modern combines is a positive point: “90% of the process of harvesting grain crops has already been completed. Currently, harvesting is being carried out only in mountain areas. This year, the use of new, modern mining combines has solved the problem of harvesting in hard-to-reach areas. The new combines are able to harvest in the most inaccessible areas without losses. These techniques are obtained at the expense of funds allocated by the President and are his contribution to farmers”.

The Minister said that the drought associated with global warming has negative consequences around the world: “One of the areas that has the greatest negative impact on global warming is agriculture. Farmers should use modern technologies and innovative irrigation methods to eliminate the negative consequences of water scarcity. These methods are widely used in Azerbaijan today. The installation of modern irrigation systems in farms allows farmers to make efficient use of water. At the same time, modern irrigation methods reduce the cost of crops, increase productivity, and increase farmers’ income. For this reason, the state has been included irrigation systems in the list of preferential agricultural machinery and equipment. Our farmers can use these modern systems in their farms by paying 20 percent in advance. 40 percent of the price of the received products will be paid by the state, the remaining 40 percent-by banks. The main part of the loan is paid by the farmer, and the interest is paid by the state. I encourage our farmers to take advantage of the state-created mechanisms of concessions”.

During the visit, the Minister got acquainted with the construction of a phylloxeria-resistant viticulture enterprise in Shamakhi and a livestock complex consisting of large and small cattle in Gobustan. Inam Karimov also followed the processing at the Gobustan Seed Processing Plant Factory, and exchanged views with the employees of the Gobustan Regional Experimental Station of the Research Institute of Crop Production on the implementation work to develop seed production.