Approximately 40,000 tons of apples from Azerbaijan are exported to foreign markets each year, with the wholesale price of high-quality Guba apples ranging between 0.27-0.32 euros. According to ABC.AZ, the mass apple harvest in the Guba district began in the second decade of September.
A portion of the harvested apples is sold in local and capital city markets, as well as in other regions of Azerbaijan. However, the majority of the produce is intended for export, mainly to Russian markets.
A local farmer reports that the apples are sorted and packed directly in the orchards at the initial stage. Afterwards, the fruit is stored in special warehouses owned by the farmers and in cold storage facilities operating in the district.
"Currently, we are harvesting the white and red Palmet apples. The yield in the orchards is good. We aim to harvest the apples on time. The top-grade apples are priced at 0.32 euros. Second-grade apples are sold for 0.16-0.22 euros, while small apples are sold at 1.62-2.16 euros per box," the farmer shares.
In total, the Guba district has 10,856 hectares of apple orchards, with 240 hectares recently planted. Of these, 1,520 hectares are cultivated using intensive methods.
Source: abc.az