BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 26. The IV
Agro-Industrial Forum of Turkic-Speaking States was held in
Cholpon-Ata (Kyrgyz Republic). The event was organized within the
framework of the 4th Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture of the
Organization of Turkic States (OTS). The forum was attended by
representatives of governments of member and observer countries of
the organization, representatives of government agencies and
companies specializing in the agricultural sector, the Ministry of
Agriculture of Azerbaijan told Trend.
Deputy Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, Minister of Water
Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry Bakyt Torobaev noted
that agriculture plays an important role in ensuring food security,
protecting soil, water resources and biodiversity, as well as
adapting to climate change. He stressed that there is great
potential for increasing trade turnover in the agricultural sector
between the UTC countries.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Agriculture Majnun Mammadov
informed the participants of the event about the reforms carried
out in the agricultural sector of Azerbaijan and future goals. The
Minister, who drew attention to the fact that the agricultural
sector in the country is exempt from all taxes, except for land
tax, noted that Azerbaijan has powerful mechanisms of state support
in the form of subsidies, loans and benefits for the development of
agriculture. The forum participants were informed that, thanks to
the implementation of large transnational transport projects,
Azerbaijan has become an important transit and logistics center in
the Eurasian region.
Minister Majnun Mamedov emphasized that business entities in the
amalgamated territorial communities should continue to expand their
export geography using infrastructure projects and a favorable
investment climate: “Our main goal is to continuously increase the
economic power of our countries and ensure food security based on
the principle of public-private partnership.”
Speaking at the forum, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of
Uzbekistan Kakhramon Yuldashev, Deputy Secretary General of the UTG
Merey Mukazhan and Secretary General of the Union of Chambers of
Commerce and Industry of Turkey Adem Kula presented information on
the current situation in the agricultural sector and the
agricultural potential of the organization’s member countries.
The IV Agro-Industrial Forum of the Turkic States continued its
work with panel sessions. Representatives of government and
business structures participating in the panel sessions provided
the participants of the event with detailed information on the
economic and agricultural potential of the amalgamated territorial
communities, investment opportunities, ongoing reforms and existing
transport infrastructure projects.
The panel session on “Agricultural Production and Trade: From
Barriers to Business” discussed opportunities for cooperation in
agricultural production, exports and innovative approaches. The
panel session on “Livestock Development and Protection of Genetic
Heritage” featured reports from specialists in agricultural
biotechnology, selection and protection of rare animal breeds. The
forum participants also discussed issues of water resource
management in the Turkic world and the importance of efficient use
of water resources for agriculture.
Then, within the framework of the IV Agro-Industrial Forum of
Turkic-Speaking States, bilateral meetings of representatives of
companies specializing in the agricultural sector from member
countries of the Organization of Turkic-Speaking States were
held.
