Sugar Beets Hold Promise for Azerbaijan’s Remote Villages
In June 2007, USAID’s Azerbaijan Business Assistance and Development (ABAD) program, in collaboration with the Azerbaijan Sugar Production Union, a branch of Azersun Holding, organized a workshop for farmers on sugar beet cultivation in the Kabirli village of Azerbaijan’s Agjabadi district. Local farmers were presented with information to boost their knowledge on weeds, pests and diseases control for proper sugar beet cultivation, as well as to promote strengthening of supply chain linkages with the Sugar Production Union. In total, over 60 farmers from Kabirli and neighboring villages of the Agjabadi and Beylagan districts attended the workshop. Participants included the representative of Azerbaijan Sugar Production Union Rajab Orujov, ABAD long-term consultant Nizami Garayev, ABAD short-term consultant on sugar beet cultivation Ibrahim Kazimov, and several ABAD staff members, as well as local authorities.
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| Sugar beet farmers increase their knowledge at the workshop |
During the workshop, Orujov spoke about the work of the Sugar Production Union, which is based in southern Azerbaijan’s Imishli district. He emphasized the union’s high demand for raw material, and the mechanisms and advantages of cooperation with the plant. In addition, Orujov discussed growing sugar beets as a means of increasing economic opportunities, particularly in remote regions such as the local village.
ABAD’s Garayev lead a comprehensive session on weeds, pests and disease control for proper sugar beet cultivation; international practice in the use of various herbicides and pesticides; identification of sugar beet diseases and recommended measures to combat sugar beet diseases; and, other hindrances and mechanisms to assist in effective sugar beet cultivation. Additionally, he informed farmers of challenges related to irrigation, stressing that inappropriate irrigation could result in up to a 50-60 percent loss of produce. Garayev also presented a comparative chart showing the net income of sugar beet harvest in comparison with other crops such as wheat, barley, cotton, alfalfa, carrot, onion, cucumber and tomato to demonstrate the relative profitability of sugar beet cultivation.
During the final question-and-answer session, farmers eagerly shared their experiences and discussed various issues related to sugar beet cultivation. Participants then visited a sugar beet field as a practical continuation of workshop discussions. Farmers received a brochure highlighting five major advantages of growing sugar beets in Azerbaijan, published by the ABAD program in collaboration with Garayev.
The effort to inform Azerbaijani farmers about sugar beet production is compatible with ABAD’s strategic goals which aim to create employment opportunities in rural areas and increase sales, thereby contributing to improved the welfare of the country’s periphery regions.
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