Appeal to farmers by Minister of Agriculture, Inam Karimov

Dear Farmers!

I congratulate you on November 1 - professional holiday of agricultural workers, and wish you success in your activity.

This year, the professional holiday of agricultural workers coincides with historical days. Under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed forces, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, our victorious army has been conducting a successful counter-terrorist operation liberating the occupied lands for almost 30 years. As a result of these operations, 4 regions, 3 districts, 186 villages and a number of strategic heights were already liberated from enemy occupation. Victories at the front inspire all our citizens and unite society like a first.

Unfortunately, the nasty enemy, defeated on the battlefield, targets our civilians. There were 11 children of 91 our citizens, 404 citizens were injured, 2465 residences and 455 civilian facilities which were unusable as a result of Armenian military units shooting houses, civilian infrastructure and ordinary people located far from the line of fire. Among our citizens who have been killed and injured in nefarious attacks on civilians are farmers.

Armenia's military aggression also negatively affected our crops, food production, which created jobs and enabled the development of villages. This aggression caused serious threats to the unique and clean-blooded Karabakh breeding horses, a large number of large and small-sized animals were killed in the villages located on the contact line, their food was burned, harvesting in tens of thousands of hectares of arable land was restricted, agricultural machinery was destroyed. Generally, the ongoing military aggression affected the lives of more than 100,000 farmers.

Saving our land from invasion brings us a great responsibility. As the President of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, stated, we must bring back to life those who have survived the occupation of the Earth. To this end, the plan for the further development of Agriculture began on the liberated lands. The liberation of our land will have a positive impact on the development of Agriculture. The country's october turnover will increase, as a result of the liberation from the occupation of areas where strategically important reservoirs are located, hundreds of thousands of hectares will be irrigated. There is a great potential for vine-growing, grain farming, cotton farming and the development of animal husbandry on the recovered lands. The proper use of this potential and the expansion of the agricultural processing industry will ensure the sustainable development of agriculture. Anyone who works in the field of agriculture understands the responsibility that lies on it and works with double perseverance during the war. We are confident that our farmers will continue their victories on the frontline.

Dear Farmers!

On your behalf, we express our gratitude to the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, who always takes care of our farmers and continuously supported the development of the agricultural sector, and wish success to our valiant army, which continues operations for the liberation of our lands from occupation.

We note that all the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture and farmers are ready for the restoration and development of the destroyed agricultural activity in the liberated lands.

Victory will be ours!

Karabakh is Azerbaijan!