Adverse weather causes AZN 13 million damage to Azerbaijan's agriculture sector

Unfavorable weather conditions observed in Azerbaijan over recent months have caused approximately 13 million manat (about $7.65 million) in damage to the agricultural sector, Fuad Sadigov, Chairman of the Board of the Agricultural Insurance Fund, at the Insurance Umbrella of the Agricultural Sector Against Risks forum in Baku.

According to Report, he said that since the beginning of the year, the fund has received claims related to full or partial damage to agricultural land covering a total of around 9,000 hectares.

"The unstable weather conditions we have been observing since the beginning of the year - including frosts and heavy precipitation - once again show that agricultural production is not stable and is constantly exposed to risks," Sadigov noted.

He added that around 8,000 hectares were affected in April alone due to floods and inundations in the northern regions of the country, including Guba, Khachmaz and Shabran.

The head of the fund also said that natural disasters have a serious impact on farmers' financial stability.

"Our farmers operate normally for three months, and in the fourth month a major emergency event occurs, leading to significant losses. We already have information on full or partial damage to agricultural production worth 13 million manats," he said.

According to Sadigov, the situation once again highlights the growing importance of agricultural insurance mechanisms to protect producers from financial risks.