SALT OF ABSERON SOIL

Oil fields, medicinal sand, green vineyards, wonderful tasty and juicy fruits and berries and, of course, the Caspian Sea - these are just some of the traits of the economic landscape of Abseron District. Perhaps, Abseron can also be called one of the unique places in the world - can you often see the smell of oil and the wonderful aroma of saffron coexisting perfectly well in the same habitat, a unique salt lake and olive plantations, quarries and vineyards? Such diversity and proximity to the capital and the sea make the region quite attractive for profitable investment.

Berries, fruits, spices

Like in other regions of Azerbaijan, Abseron's economy is based on agriculture. This zone is known for its olives, saffron, tomatoes, almonds, mulberry and figs. And the "shaan" grape which grows at the vineyards of the peninsula has been praised by many poets.

Small and medium-sized businesses are mainly engaged in agriculture in the district, i.e. there are few large farms. But obviously, with the development of the agrarian sector in the whole country every year, there is a growing interest in it in Abseron, which creates fertile grounds for large investments and establishing mass production of rare, but extremely tasty, and most importantly, useful vegetables, fruits and spices. In addition, the once popular sector - floriculture - is gradually being restored in the district. It is no secret that if there is sufficient capital in Abseron, one can grow not only beautiful, but also fragrant roses, carnations, calla lilies and other flowers.

It should be recognized that farming in the peninsula is not easy: Abseron is the only region of Azerbaijan, where there are no local sources of drinking water - the district gets it through water pipes from the Samur and Kura rivers. Therefore, there are more natural risks for farmers here, although there are obvious benefits in the form of the same geographical proximity to most of the consumers, which provides a low level of transport costs, reduces the possibility of damage to produce, etc.

Since ancient times, the Abseron population has been engaged in cattle-breeding - they breed the local Qala sheep, and there is the company Sehliyali, which produces sausages and other meat and dairy products.

Poultry-breeding is sufficiently developed - it is both private enterprises and broilers. A few years ago, two unique ostrich-breeding farms were launched near the town of Xirdalan. At the beginning of their activities, many doubted the success of the enterprise, but the farms have been there for several years, and experience shows that breeding ostriches is quite a commercially viable idea not only in distant Africa, but also in our native Abseron.

Production potential

The manufacturing sector of Abseron District is represented by up to 45 large and small companies, including the well-known JSC Azbentonit, Avropa Qapilari, Matanat-A, Caspian Fish, Baltika-Baku brewery, Azersun Holding, JSC Absheron Sherab, etc.

In 2011, Abseron District manufactured industrial products worth 97.6 million manats, which is 7 per cent higher compared to the results of 2010. According to the chief of the executive authorities of Abseron District, Zakir Faracov, the private sector played a significant role in the positive dynamics, and the opening of large furniture factories ASMDF and M-Line was very important for the development of the district's economy. President Ilham Aliyev took part in the opening of these modern plants.

We must say that last year alone, investment in construction in the district increased by 2.2 times and amounted to 166.3 million manats. Suffice it to say that the district already has several major new residential developments such as the Abseron youth estate, New Baku, Qurtulus, Villa Badam, etc. Also, new parks and entertainment centres, restaurants and hotels have been built. By the way, it is possible that after the construction of a new zoological park in Abseron District, the region will become even more attractive for tourists. Quite recently, President Ilham Aliyev issued a decree to allocate 4.5 million manats for the project from the president's Reserve Fund to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. Another major project undertaken in the district with public investment is the construction of the Abseron Olympic complex.

Abseron is certainly a region attractive for investment, given the rich resource base, the favourable geographical location on the shores of the Caspian Sea between Baku and Sumqayit, a developed infrastructure, including transport, which is currently being updated, the presence of branches of the country's major banks, etc. The district has a large place in the state programme for the socioeconomic development of Azerbaijan in 2009-2013. A potential area of investment could be the creation of spa areas, enterprises producing building materials, a waste-recycling plant, and power plants that use wind, solar and water energy as a source of power. In short, there are enough areas for business in Abseron, and public investment in infrastructure projects creates quite favourable conditions for investment and life in this part of Azerbaijan.