Agdash, May 1 (AZERTAC). A new fruit processing factory has been commissioned in Agdash.

The opening ceremony was attended by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

The diversification of the economy, the dynamic development of the non-oil sector, the increase of its competitiveness and accelerated investments in this sector are among top priorities of the policy towards socioeconomic development pursued by President Ilham Aliyev. In accordance with this policy, our country is attaching special importance to the development of various sectors of the non-oil economy.

It is no coincidence that great progress has been made in the area of industrial development in the last 10 years. Industrial production has increased 2.7 times over this period. Investment in excess of 40 billion manats has been made in the country's industry during this period. At the present stage, in the light of contemporary challenges and new initiatives, a number of important steps are taken to modernize the industry and diversify the non-oil sector. In addition, the focus is also on engaging natural and economic resources, creating, along with traditional industries, new production and processing areas and industrial estates, strengthening the industrial potential of the regions and building the capacity to facilitate the development of innovation-based industry.

The head of state sees non-oil sector growth in creating opportunities for private enterprise development, shows special attention to the private sector, signs executive orders to enable entrepreneurs to make broader use of the opportunities and potentialities of the regions, and takes care of their financial security. To date, the National Fund on Entrepreneurship Support under the Ministry of Economy and Industry has financed investment projects of some 20,000 entrepreneurs throughout the country by providing them preferential loans to the tune of 1 billion 200 million manats. Thanks to the implementation of these projects, more than 116,000 jobs have been created.

The funds provided in accordance with the instructions of the President are used to finance projects aimed at the creation and development of enterprises in priority industries. Currently, these projects cover not only big cities but also the regions. The aim is to provide the market with competitive products through rational use of the resources available in the regions and to facilitate employment. The fruit processing factory built in Agdash will be quite important in this regard.

The head of state reviewed the photo stand describing meetings of great leader Heydar Aliyev and President Ilham Aliyev with the people of Agdash during their visits to the district and participation in the opening of various objects.

Then, President Ilham Aliyev launched the factory.

It was noted that the construction of the enterprise worth 4.2 million manats was carried out using the government’s soft loan of 1.9 million manats provided by the National Fund on Entrepreneurship Support under the Ministry of Economy and Industry. The factory covers an area of 2,000 square meters and consists of sections for the production of dried fruit, concentrated fruit juice and auxiliary sections. The section for the production of dried fruit is based on the technology and equipment from well-known international companies. There is a machine for receiving and washing raw materials, a water filter, a five-tier oven for boiling, and packaging equipment here. Depending on the characteristics of the fruit, the drying process is carried out in several stages. According to the demand, dried fruits are produced mainly from persimmon, grapes, plums, apricots and apples. The harvesting and processing of about 1,200 tons of various fruits are expected during each season. Dried fruits are produced industrially, so they have a different taste, nice appearance and packaging. Finished products will be supplied not only to the domestic market but also to foreign countries.

The section for the production of concentrated fruit juice consists of cooking ovens, cooling, bottling and packaging equipment manufactured ​​by the Turkish company STK. This will be the first factory in Azerbaijan to industrially produce concentrated fruit juice that will be widely used in medicine to treat various diseases. According to the demand, there are plans to produce 20 tons of concentrated fruit juice each year. It will mainly be made of fruits such as mulberry, persimmons, grapes and dogwood.

This site is also expected to produce condensed milk, which will be widely used as raw material by factories producing baked goods and ice cream.

The executive director of the National Fund on Entrepreneurship Support under the Ministry of Economy and Industry, Shirzad Abdullayev, informed President Ilham Aliyev about the preferential loans provided to the entrepreneurs of Aran economic region and where they were largely spent. It was noted that 7,612 entrepreneurs had received preferential government loans worth 326.3 million manats to date. These loans have helped create more than 29,000 jobs. Also, preferential loans worth 418.1 million manats were allocated to finance 77 high-tech investment projects, including 10 logistical centers, nine granaries and eight animal husbandry complexes, 12 poultry farms, four dairy plants, two meat processing factories and four factories processing fruits and vegetables, five bread-baking factories, four greenhouses, three fish farms, three viticulture farms, two major grain-growing farms, two companies producing dried fruit, one producing sugar, four producing building materials, as well as four production and processing enterprises. In Agdash District, which is part of this economic zone, 233 entrepreneurs have taken advantage of preferential loans in the amount of 12.4 million manats to date. These loans have helped generate more than a thousand new jobs.

During familiarization with finished products, the head of state was informed that the plant’s needs for raw materials would be met at the expense of production in the district proper and from neighboring districts. This, in turn, will have a positive impact on the development of small family farms and increase the factory’s processing capacity even more in the future.

President Ilham Aliyev was informed that the factory had received international safety management certificate ISO-2005. As a result of the project, 30 jobs have been created.