Azerbaijan to launch mass production of agricultural drones

On May 15, Anar Jafarov, Director of the Centre for Agricultural Innovations, revealed that Azerbaijan will soon begin mass production of agricultural drones through a partnership with a Turkish company.

Speaking at the 2nd Agricultural Innovations Forum held in Baku, Jafarov explained that the Turkish firm, specialising primarily in agricultural drones, has signed an agreement with Baku Engineering University to establish a local manufacturing facility, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

He did not disclose the identity of the Turkish partner.

Jafarov highlighted that the drones manufactured in Azerbaijan will be officially recognised as innovative equipment by the Ministry of Agriculture. Moreover, local farmers purchasing these drones will benefit from a 40% government subsidy, making this advanced technology more accessible to the agricultural sector.

The announcement coincided with the second day of the 2nd International Agricultural Innovations Forum, which takes place alongside the 18th Azerbaijan International Agricultural Exhibition (Caspian Agro) and the 30th anniversary of the Azerbaijan International Food Industry Exhibition (InterFood Azerbaijan).

The forum attracted leading experts and innovators, including Elviz Ismayilov, Director of the Digital Development and Innovations Centre at Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University (ASOIU); Ziya Ismayilov, General Manager of Operations at the Azerbaijan Academy of Robotics and Engineering; Attilio Somma, Head of Department at Tim International LLC; Leyla Hajiyeva, Director of Innovation and Digital Development at Digital Umbrella LLC; and Jamal Rzayev, CEO of Peerstack Academy.

This year, Caspian Agro and InterFood Azerbaijan occupy all pavilions and the outdoor area of the Baku Expo Center, showcasing 450 companies from 31 countries, including Azerbaijan, Germany, the USA, Belarus, Belgium, the UAE, China, South Korea, Palestine, Finland, Georgia, India, Jordan, Iran, Spain, Israel, Sweden, Italy, Canada, Latvia, Egypt, the Netherlands, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Greece. National pavilions from Germany, Belarus, South Korea, Georgia, Italy, the Netherlands, Sri Lanka, and for the first time, Egypt, exhibit a broad range of agricultural and food industry products.

For the first time, Caspian Agro features cutting-edge technologies, innovative machinery, and advanced irrigation systems applied in modern agriculture. Attendees can explore specialised sections on electronic agriculture, robotics, drones, IT services, artificial intelligence, smart villages, startups, alternative energy sources, and sustainable “green agro” initiatives.

Additionally, the exhibition highlights the fishing and aquaculture sectors for the first time, underscoring Caspian Agro’s role as a key platform for promoting innovation not only in agriculture but also in fisheries and aquaculture development.

By Tamilla Hasanova