Twenty-five Italian companies are exhibiting at the Caspian Agro fair, which is taking place until Friday, 8 May, at the Baku Exhibition Centre in Azerbaijan. This event is growing in popularity in the area, attracting visitors not only from Azerbaijan, but also from neighbouring countries.
© Omar PapiPhotos courtesy of Omar Papi (Futura srl)
Azerbaijan is a country that has experienced significant growth in recent years, primarily thanks to its oil reserves. Its capital, Baku, is a modern, functional city and is home to four million of the country's ten million inhabitants.
© Omar Papi
The cost of living here is around a third lower compared to Italy. While clerks earn around 400 euros per month, executives often earn much more. Seasonal agricultural workers cost between 13 and 15 euros per day.
© Omar Papi
Azerbaijan has a long tradition of producing and trading fruit and vegetables, and has supplied the Russian Federation for many years. To this day, many of the traders in St Petersburg and Moscow's wholesale markets are Azerbaijani.
© Omar Papi
Azerbaijan grows fruit and vegetables, for which packing companies require sorting and packaging lines. The country produces a variety of fruit, including apples, peaches, persimmons and pomegranates.
© Omar Papi
Hydroponic cultivation has become increasingly popular among vegetable growers, particularly for tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. Technology companies are being called upon to provide state-of-the-art equipment for growing these crops.
 © Omar Papi |  © Omar Papi |
Futura Srl is one of the Italian companies present at the fair. The company's owner, Omar Papi, explains: "The fair officially started on 5 May, but it was closed to the public on the first morning due to an official presidential visit. There was a good turnout on the first official opening day, 6 May. We are here for the local market, and we have already sold several plants here over the past three years."
© Omar Papi
"Producers in Azerbaijan have to select fruit and vegetables with precision, as many of their customers are large-scale retail chains, particularly Russian ones," concludes Omar Papi.
For more information: www.caspianagroweek.az/en
