Azerbaijani Delegation Attends Viticulture and Winemaking Congress in China
The 47th World Congress of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) and the organisation's 24th General Assembly have begun in the city of Yinchuan, capital of China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.
Yulduz Salimov3 min read
The 47th World Congress of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) and the organisation's 24th General Assembly have begun in the city of Yinchuan, capital of China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.
The congress, devoted to the theme "Shaping new paradigms for the global vine and wine sector: transformation to respond to challenges, innovation to ensure revival and sustainability to strengthen the foundation of a shared future," has brought together leading international experts to discuss the main scientific, technical and economic problems facing the sector. Azerbaijan is represented at the event, attended by officials from various countries, representatives of relevant state bodies, heads of viticulture and winemaking companies, experts and researchers, by a delegation led by Minister of Agriculture Majnun Mammadov.
Within the framework of the congress, discussions are being held on integrated approaches to sustainable grape production, technical innovations and adapting winemaking to future requirements, sustainable legal and economic models in a changing market, as well as improving production and consumption, and issues of health and social sustainability in the viticulture and winemaking chain.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the congress and the General Assembly, Minister Majnun Mammadov said that winemaking has historically been one of the important areas of Azerbaijan's agriculture and today also makes a significant contribution to the country's economy. Stressing the socio-economic importance of the viticulture and winemaking sector, the minister said that the sustainable development of this area is one of the main strategic goals. He noted that Azerbaijani wines stand out in international markets for their high quality, rich heritage and distinctive natural characteristics.
It was stated that last year the total area of vineyards in Azerbaijan reached 14,900 hectares, and grape varieties intended for wine production accounted for 37 percent of plantings. During the reporting period, the country produced 210,900 tonnes of grapes and 684,000 decalitres of wine, and exported 155,000 decalitres of wine. Azerbaijan's main wine export markets were Russia, Turkey and Belarus.
The minister specifically highlighted the modernisation of existing infrastructure and the creation of small-scale wine production enterprises among the strategic goals facing the development of viticulture and winemaking.
It was noted that in Azerbaijan, in order to increase the efficiency, competitiveness and sustainability of the viticulture sector, concessional and targeted financing opportunities are being created in the direction of adaptation to climate change, the application of water-saving irrigation systems and the development of "smart agriculture" technologies. Minister Majnun Mammadov stated that strengthening international cooperation is of great importance in achieving strategic goals. He noted that the International Organisation of Vine and Wine is a reliable partner for Azerbaijan and that our country is interested in expanding cooperation with the organisation.
Within the framework of the five-day congress, exhibitions, networking events and parallel technical sessions are envisaged, as well as the organisation of trips to industry facilities.
Minister of Agriculture Majnun Mammadov gave an interview to Chinese media representatives. During the interview, he spoke about expanding cooperation between Azerbaijan and China in the field of agriculture, the application of modern agrotechnologies and the development of trade relations in agricultural products, as well as the main goals and priorities of the State Programme on the agricultural sector in Azerbaijan covering 2026–2030. The minister stressed the importance of the State Programme in terms of increasing production and competitiveness in the agricultural sector, promoting innovations and the sustainable development of the sector.
