(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 28. Public
discussions were organized on the 'Agribusiness: new opportunities
and modern challenges' topic with the help of the Public Council
under the Agency for the Development of Small and Medium Businesses
(SMBDA), the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Confederation
of Entrepreneurs Organizations of Azerbaijan, reports citing
SMBDA.
Representatives of public and private structures, business
associations working in the agricultural sector attended the
event.
Minister of Agriculture of Azerbaijan Inam Karimov stressed that
creating an even more favorable environment for the development of
agribusiness in the country is one of the priorities of the social
and economic development policy pursued under the leadership of the
Head of state. New economic and environmental challenges have
arisen in the world, including climate change, and the goal is to
constantly maintain a new and modern agribusiness environment in
accordance with new challenges.
He noted the importance of such public discussions in terms of
studying international and local experience, the current situation,
opportunities, as well as methods and means to overcome emerging
difficulties by bringing together the parties that play a role in
the development of agribusiness. He also informed about the support
measures implemented in the areas of agribusiness.
President of the National Confederation of Organizations of
Entrepreneurs (Employers) of Azerbaijan Mammad Musayev noted that
35 percent of the employed population works in agriculture. Loans
were allocated to agriculture in the total amount of 598.8 million
manat ($352.2 million), which is 3.1 percent of the total volume of
loan investments. However, the level of lending in this area isn't
satisfactory. Businessmen involved in this area offer to improve
the insurance mechanism for lending, which can also help to achieve
a solution to the collateral problem.
Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan Agency for SME
Development Orkhan Mammadov informed about the support mechanisms
aimed at the creation and development of the agency's activities in
the field of agribusiness, shared his opinion on the development of
business in the areas of production, processing and marketing of
agricultural products, as well as on the problems faced by business
entities and made a number of suggestions.
He said that insufficient application of the agricultural
insurance mechanism, difficulties associated with irrigation water,
insufficient access to quality advisory services in the field of
agronomy, the need to improve subsidies and other financing
mechanisms, difficulties with the documentation procedure in the
field of food security, depreciation of technological equipment,
access to markets, etc. are the main issues that concern
entrepreneurs working in the agricultural sector.
Chairman of the Public Council under SMBDA Farhad Garashev
stated that public discussions on priority topics will continue in
the coming months with the organization of the Public Council and
with the participation of small and medium-sized businesses
operating in various sectors of the economy, relevant government
agencies and civil society institutions.
At the event, the proposals of entrepreneurs on the development
of the industry and the difficulties they face were listened to,
then representatives of the relevant state structures answered the
entrepreneurs' questions.
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