Agriculture Remains Key Pillar Of Employment In Azerbaijan

Nearly 35 percent of Azerbaijan's employed population is directly or indirectly connected to the agricultural sector, Azernews reports, citing Mammad Musayev, President of the Azerbaijan Confederation of Employers' Organizations (ASK).

Speaking at the closing ceremony of events dedicated to Agribusiness Festivals held in Baku, Musayev noted that agriculture and food processing now account for nearly 10 percent of the country's non-oil GDP, Trend reports.

“Against the backdrop of global instability, regional conflicts, and climate change, food security has become a strategic issue,” Musayev said.

According to data as of October 1, 2025, nearly 13,000 commercial entities operate in Azerbaijan's agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors. Of these, 26 are large enterprises, 175 medium-sized, 417 small, and approximately 12,000 are microbusinesses.

Despite this broad economic footprint, only 1.8 percent of the total loan portfolio of credit institutions - or 571 million manats - has been allocated to agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. This, Musayev emphasized, indicates a clear need for additional financial instruments to improve access to funding in the agrarian sector.

He also pointed out that global food prices continue to rise, underscoring the importance of strengthening domestic production to meet national demand - particularly by shifting from raw material output to value-added processing.

“In this context, building a complete value chain for food production within the country is critically important,” Musayev said.“We must view agriculture not only through the lens of land and crops, but as an integrated system - from seed to table - encompassing production, processing, logistics, packaging, labeling, and brand creation. This comprehensive approach increases added value and significantly expands export opportunities.”

Musayev noted that Azerbaijani entrepreneurs are already successfully exporting agricultural products to a number of countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and other Gulf states. Confidence in the“Made in Azerbaijan” brand, he said, continues to grow year by year in these markets.

The Azerbaijan Confederation of Employers' Organizations represents the country's private sector at the Turkic Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Development, providing institutional support to help entrepreneurs access new markets. In particular, Musayev highlighted the strong interest shown in Azerbaijan's national stand and products at the Halal Food Exhibition and Forum held in Mecca this February.

He also emphasized the close and constructive cooperation between the Confederation and the Ministry of Agriculture, along with its subordinate institutions.

Musayev stressed that special attention is being paid to improving fiscal regulations in the agrarian sector, expanding access to financial resources, and maintaining ongoing dialogue to address existing challenges promptly.

“The readiness of Minister Majnun Mammadov to engage in open dialogue with entrepreneurs, listen to their concerns, and seek joint solutions is warmly welcomed by the business community,” he said.

In this regard, Musayev underscored the significance of the event held today, expressing confidence that the platform will contribute to the development of new ideas, concrete initiatives, and effective cooperation.

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