Since June, farmers in Azerbaijan's Khachmaz district have been harvesting early varieties of nectarines and peach cultivars such as "Zolotoy" and "Fedai," primarily from traditional orchards. A portion of the harvest is sold in local and central markets, while most of the peaches are exported to various cities in neighboring Russia.
Farmer Joshgun Ismayilov from the village of Chilegir noted that, despite high yields this year, consumer demand is somewhat lower than in previous seasons. "We began harvesting on June 20. We have one hectare of peach and nectarine orchards. The yield is good this year. We sell part of the harvest directly from the orchard at wholesale prices," he said. Depending on size and quality, peaches are currently sold at 0.7 to 1 manat per kilogram (€0.3-0.5).
Peaches intended for export are mainly of foreign varieties grown in intensive orchards. Before being shipped to Russia, the fruit is stored in cold warehouses in the district and then transported by freight trucks.
Timely harvesting is critical, as even a one-day delay can result in significant losses. "For example, the 'Zolotoy' variety must be picked on time, or it will rot on the tree," said Ismayilov. The harvest period lasts from June to October. In addition to peaches and nectarines, local farmers also grow cherries and hazelnuts, which represent key sources of income for rural households.
This year, cherry yields were lower due to weather conditions, while the outlook for peaches and hazelnuts is favorable. In total, Khachmaz has around 3,000 hectares of peach orchards, about 1,000 of which are intensive farms. Average productivity is around 30 centners per hectare, with an annual output of 7,000–8,000 tons of peaches.
Source: azertag.az
