President Ilham Aliyev has reviewed a cold-storage warehouse for sorting and storing fruit built by IKAR-S LLC in Guba.

It was indicated that in accordance with the “State Program on a reliable provision of the population of the Republic of Azerbaijan with food products in 2008-2015”, the National Fund on Entrepreneurship Support has financed the construction of 32 cold-storage fruit and vegetable warehouses with a capacity of 108,100 tons in various districts of Azerbaijan. The total value of the 32 warehouses is 114.8 million manats and loan demand has been 64.3 million manats. Eighteen of these projects have been completed and put into operation. Construction under other projects is still ongoing.

The head of state reviewed an apple garden. It was indicated that entrepreneurs have set up prolific apple gardens on an area of 145 hectares. These gardens yield up to 45-50 tons of good-quality apples a year. At present, Guba District produces 110,000 tons of apples. The establishment of apple gardens in the district has gained momentum in the last six years, currently covering 583 hectares. Seventy-two hectares of such gardens were set up in the first six months of 2011 alone. Both local and foreign apple sorts are grown in the gardens.

President Ilham Aliyev also examined a warehouse. He was informed that the National Fund on Entrepreneurship Support had allocated low-interest loans worth 2.9 million manats for the project. As part of an investment project, a 6,000-ton cold-storage warehouse covering an area of 3.2 hectares and equipped with German refrigeration and Dutch ULO systems, as well as a laboratory and ancillary buildings, have been built. The project started in January 2010 and was completed in September this year. A total of 54 people have been provided with jobs as a result.

After familiarization with the complex, the head of state gave his instructions and recommendations.