Measures to combat brown marmorated stink bug were discussed in Zagatala

In Zagatala, measures to prevent the spread of brown marmorated stink bug throughout the country were discussed with the participation of state agencies. The meeting, held at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Zagatala district, was attended by the heads of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the Food Safety Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (AFSA), the heads of the Balakan, Zagatala and Gakh district executive authorities, the directors of the State Agricultural Development Centers operating in the Sheki-Zagatala economic region, and specialists working in the field of plant protection.

Before the meeting, the participants visited the monument to the National Leader Heydar Aliyev and paid tribute to his memory by laying flowers in front of it.

Mubariz Ahmadzadeh, the head of the Zagatala District Executive Authority, who made an opening speech, said that systematic measures to combat plant pests, including the brown marmorated stink bug, are being implemented in the district. He noted that the pest was first detected in 2018, and as a result of the work done in this direction, consistent measures are being taken to minimize its damage to the economy.

In his speech, Minister of Agriculture Majnun Mammadov emphasized that the brown marmorated stink bug poses a serious threat to agricultural plants and the ecosystem. The Minister said that regular monitoring is being conducted with the participation of relevant agencies to determine the distribution area of ​​the pest, organize control measures and raise awareness. According to him, in 2025, these monitoring covered 32 regions, and the highest infection was observed in Balakan, Zagatala and Gakh regions. Therefore, the need to focus control measures mainly on these regions was noted.

The Minister emphasized the importance of forming specialized control teams in the areas, involving the private sector in the process, applying biological control methods, and spraying agricultural fields and forests around the village during the vegetation period in order to increase the effectiveness of control measures.

Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Vugar Karimov noted that the brown marble beetle is an ecologically dangerous pest and said that local agencies of the ministry, together with other agencies, regularly carry out measures in forest and forest-peripheral areas. He stressed the importance of involving State Border Service employees in headquarters meetings in order to monitor the pest in border regions during the migration period.

Deputy Chairman of the AFSA Balarahim Guliyev reported on the work carried out by the Regional Coordination Centers within the framework of the fight against the brown marmorated stink bug, presented a report on the meetings held and the measures taken.

In their speeches, the heads of local executive authorities provided information on the combat measures carried out in the regions and made proposals to strengthen the activities of the headquarters.

A wide exchange of views was held at the event on the organization of measures to combat the brown marble beetle in 2026.

In his closing speech, Minister of Agriculture Majnun Mammadov noted the importance of strengthening biological control, expanding awareness-raising activities, and involving volunteer groups in the process to accelerate and increase the effectiveness of the control work. The Minister emphasized the importance of holding similar meetings in other regions where the spread of the pest is observed.