Azerbaijan plans to allocate half of the agricultural land in its restored territories to local residents and offer the remaining half to investors through competitive leasing procedures, Agriculture Minister Majnun Mammadov said.
Resident farm plots would have a minimum size of five hectares. Officials say larger plots are needed to make the farms economically viable.
Resident Plots Near Villages
The plots for residents are expected to be created within one or two kilometers of villages, alongside roads, water, electricity and other necessary infrastructure.
Government rules provide for agricultural land near resettled villages to be leased to residents on preferential terms. With limited exceptions for naturally bounded plots, the minimum plot size is five hectares.
Mammadov said the average farm nationwide covers about 1.7 hectares and often does not generate sufficient income. In villages where there is not enough suitable land for each household, authorities are considering family farms and cooperatives.
Investment Plots Start at 20 Hectares
The other 50% of agricultural land would be offered for investment projects away from population centers. The minimum investment plot is 20 hectares, with tenants selected through competitions.
Four competitions have been completed, according to the minister. They drew more than 500 applications, with roughly 48% to 50% of applicants selected. The projects cover livestock farming, aquaculture, horticulture and crop production.
The policy establishes a general allocation model. Rights to particular plots and their precise conditions will depend on the applicable leasing and distribution procedures.
The minister’s comments were reported by Vesti Baku.