THE QUEEN OF WINTER BERRIES

As the Japanese proverb says, "When the persimmon reddened, the doctor becomes blue." Indeed, this juicy and tasty berry rich with microelements and vitamins has many irreplaceable and useful properties. Several varieties of persimmon have been cultivated in Azerbaijan for a long time. It has been known for its high demand, especially among neighbors in Russia. Hence, persimmon has highly recognized economic value in the agriculture of Azerbaijan. Being a profitable agricultural product, the activities of horticultural farms still need coordination and enhancement. 

The first step in this direction is the establishment of the Association of Persimmon Producers and Exporters in Azerbaijan thanks to the initiative of entrepreneurs and support of the Ministry of Economy. Yusif Abdullayev, Vice President of the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO), said at an event in Goychay dedicated to the establishment of the Association: "Our priority is to increase the production of competitive and export-oriented products and to expand the exports. It I therefore important to underline the role of the presidential decree, dated October 5, 2016, on the promotion of the Made in Azerbaijan brand."

Large demand for Azerbaijani persimmon in the last decade, especially among consumers from Russia, stimulated local farmers to expand areas for the cultivation of this fruit. So, from 2000 to 2016, the area of orchards under persimmon in Azerbaijan have expanded from 3.9 to 9.5 thousand hectares. There has been also a growing interest in cultivating persimmon in other regions of Azerbaijan.

The expansion of land areas has significantly increased the production volume of persimmons - 142.9 thousand tons per year. Ganja-Gazakh region is the leading region of the country by the harvested volumes of persimmon (over 62 thousand tons in 2016), followed by Aran region (42.3 thousand tons). According to farmers, the yields of gardens are high - up to 250 kg of fruits per tree, and 5-6 tons of produce per hectare. Gardeners do not use drugs and herbicides, so the local persimmon is an environmentally friendly and especially valuable food, which does not require large investments and special care.

This tree has wide distribution thanks to its quality - it is relatively frost-resistant, beautiful, with attractive fruits, which have high nutritional and healing properties, and are saturated with vitamins and minerals. Particularly popular in Azerbaijan is a variety of persimmons known as “korolek”, which has over ten varieties only in Balaken region. According to farmer Tofig Osmanov, earlier sorts of persimmon in Balaken were small in size, but the rural entrepreneurs have improved selection and were able to grow larger fruits.

Persimmon usually ripens during winter months. However, due to the absence of industrial processing enterprises, the fruits remain in gardens for a long time and become food for birds. Therefore, to effectively use the existing potential, it is necessary to develop persimmon processing industry. Azerbaijan has the necessary facilities and scientific background for this. A well-known technologist of the canned industry of Azerbaijan, Mammad Akhundov, has been engaged in processing persimmons at the canning enterprises of Azerbaijan since the Soviet times. Thus, he has produced dozens of varieties of jam, juices, doshab and other food products widely popular among the consumers throughout the former USSR.

"The development of processing facilities for persimmon is not a problem. We just need a professional approach and knowledge of the technology of processing fruits and vegetables. As for the technological lines and equipment, this can be imported from Italy and other European countries. I believe that the absence of such enterprises is a big drawback in the canning industry. Such negligence and indifference to the country's natural resources is equivalent to crime," said M. Akhundov.

Today, persimmon grows in 30 villages of Balaken and covers an area of ​​805 hectares. 60-70% of the crop is shipped to the markets of Russia. Productivity increases every year, and production outstrips demand. According to the farmer Ibrahimkhalil Mikailov, extra tons of products could be used for processing. But, unfortunately, there are simply no such processing enterprises. Private harvesters come to the region, buy products and export them to the markets of Russia. The rest of persimmon is sold in local markets and in Baku. Many farmers are engaged in the drying of persimmons and do it in a largely artisanal way. The unsold volumes are kept in freezers and sold in winter.

Recently, ABAD Centre has initiated the implementation of a new project for the production of packaged dried persimmons in Balaken. President Ilham Aliyev also referred to this project during his visit to the region. "This production will get a wide scale. Persimmon from Balakan and other regions of Azerbaijan will be delivered to this facility, processed and exported in such a beautiful manner. Citizens will earn good money, the currency will flow into our country, and this will be yet another incentive for the development of persimmon production," said President Aliyev.

According to experts, such projects will increase the profitability of farms engaged in the cultivation of persimmons. After all, this product is already sold with success and not for small money. According to market researchers, the most expensive persimmon on the Russian market comes from Azerbaijan and China. At the same time, supplies from Azerbaijan cover more than 70% of the demand of Russian buyers.

At the same time, expert economists consider a dangerous trend of dependence on one market and note the need to develop projects that facilitate the delivery of perishable fruits to more distant destinations. The Ministry of Agriculture of Azerbaijan believes that after accelerating the process of certification of products, persimmon can be supplied to Europe and the Arab countries. The government notes that in this case, farmers should also take the initiative and seek to organize production that meets world standards. As already mentioned above, it is also necessary to significantly increase the number of processing enterprises, which will maximize the effectiveness of the implementation of the crop and, accordingly, stimulate farmers to expand the economy.

As President Aliyev noted earlier, persimmon is the third agricultural product (after hazelnuts and tomatoes) that brings foreign currency to Azerbaijan ($68 million annually). And only a few effective projects can significantly increase this amount and make persimmon the leader of national exports.