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Many residents of Azerbaijan receive less of the significant amount of calories because of the improper feeding. In view of this the country is located close to the risk zone on the "world famine map" –countries in Africa and Latin America, stated Nizami Garayev, the coordinator of the Alliance for Food Security, presenting the first results of the study titled "The State of food security in Azerbaijan: problems and resources", reports the Azerbaijani news agency "Turan."

The main reason for holding back the growth of food production in Azerbaijan is the reduction of agricultural lands. Erosion, drought and floods are also important factors. Global warming and the rise in energy price are also in the "black list" of the producers. There is also a problem peculiar for Azerbaijan - the reduction of the number and proportion of small and medium farmers.

As a result, Azerbaijanis consume less products than, for example, neighboring Russians. The expert preferred to compare the indicators of local consumption per capita not with the high national standards of former USSR, but with the standards of the World Health Organization.

Thus, the global consumption rate of meat is 70kg per year, in Azerbaijan the population consumes 27.8 kg. In milk and dairy consumption Azerbaijan lags the WHO standards by 41.8%. Level of consumption of fruit and berries in Azerbaijan is almost double times less than the standards (47kg. instead of 80kg). Comparison of indicators of consumption of other products is not in favor of Azerbaijan too. Thus, the population of the republic consumes 96.1 kg vegetables and vine crops per year, while according to the WHO standard it is 140 kg, potato - 44.2 kg (standard - 120.5 kg.) and fish products - 5 kg. (standard 8.3 kg.), eggs - 139 instead of 243 pieces, sugar and confectionery products - 16.9 kg instead of 36.5.

The only positive balance is recorded in bakery. Azerbaijan consumes 133.8 kg instead of standard 120.5 kg of this product, which again does not speak in favor of Azerbaijan, noted the expert.

Garayev pointed to the dominance of imported agricultural products in Azerbaijan. Thus, for example, in 2012 (data for the last year have not yet been released by State Committee on Statistics) wheat at $ 282 million was imported into the Republic, which is 57.83 million more, compared with the results of 2011; the alive weight cattle is delivered at $ 27, 88 million (for 14.1 million more), butter - $ 136.82 million (for 17.82 million more), fruits and vegetables - $ 264.3 million (for 37.5 million more). Sugar import increase is detected - $ 176.5 million (for 10 million more), vegetable oils - 221.7 million (for 60.2 million more), alcoholic beverages - $ 21.3 million (for 7.55 million more), etc.

Sugar production has significantly decreased in Azerbaijan (by 230.2 thousand tons), melons and vegetables - by 50.2 thousand tons, raw cotton - 11.8 thousand tons.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture of Azerbaijan, meat consumption in the country is 288 thousand tons, or 30.8 kilogram per capita (assuming by the officially stated population). It is noteworthy that, according to the National Statistical Service of Armenia, meat consumption in the country in 2012 amounted to 136.5 million tons (excluding fish). This amounts to 45.5 kg of meat per capita per year, which by 47% is more than in Azerbaijan.