On the day of National Salvation - for the future: How Azerbaijan is laying a new agricultural foundation

On Azerbaijan’s National Salvation Day, a ceremonial groundbreaking took place for a new nursery on the base of the experimental station of the Scientific Research Institute of Fruit Growing and Tea Cultivation under the Ministry of Agriculture of Azerbaijan.

Today, on one of Azerbaijan’s most significant national holidays - National Salvation Day - a new seedling nursery was officially launched at the experimental station of the Research Institute in Goychay. The event marked the first major milestone in a strategic collaboration between the Caspian Region Center for Agricultural Researches (CARCAS) and the Scientific Research Institute of Fruit Growing and Tea Cultivation.

As part of the ceremony, the parties signed a cooperation agreement aimed at ensuring the sustainable development of Azerbaijan’s horticultural sector. Special emphasis was placed on the production of virus-free seedlings, which are in high demand in modern fruit farming and landscape horticulture.

Rifat Sultanzade, Chairman of the CARCAS Supervisory Board, highlighted the symbolism of the date during his remarks at the event:

“We began this journey on National Salvation Day — a holiday of great importance to the history and future of Azerbaijan. Today’s event is not just the start of a new project, but a contribution to food security, sustainable agriculture, and our country’s export potential.”

He noted that in the initial phase of the program, 400,000 virus-free seedlings have already been planted. In the future, the program may reach a scale sufficient to supply all fruit orchards across Azerbaijan, covering approximately 230,000 hectares.

According to Sultanzade, the next priorities should include the development of seedling exports, expansion into ornamental plant production, and launching research into growing decorative trees with export potential.

Ilham Garagurbanli, Director of the Research Institute of Fruit Growing and Tea Cultivation, stressed the importance of the project in reducing dependence on imported planting materials:

“A domestic base for seedling production will allow Azerbaijan not only to meet internal demand but also to enter regional markets as an exporter.”

The ceremony continued with a symbolic ribbon-cutting, after which participants toured the station’s infrastructure, including irrigation and watering systems, and planted commemorative seedlings on the nursery grounds.

To conclude, the parties discussed prospects for further cooperation, including breeding developments, export strategies, and workforce development in horticulture. The event ended with commemorative photographs in front of the new nursery.