Business

Int'l financial institutions loan irrigation revival

By Azernews Staff

AZM20 billion will be allotted from the state budget in 2002 to help irrigation in Azerbaijan, chairman of the State Committee on Melioration and Water Economy Ahmad Ahmadzadeh told a news conference at the headquarters of the New Azerbaijan Party Friday. The funds will be directed at reconstruction and effectiveness of the country's irrigation system.

The World Bank and the Islamic Development Bank are expected to loan $10 million for this purpose, he said.

There won't be sufficient problems with water supplies to the agrarian sector, as the flow pace of the river Kur is twice as fast as last year, and that of the Araz is five times faster.

Touching upon the reconstruction of water canals and reservoirs, A. Ahmadzadeh said the reconstruction project of the Samur-Absheron canal is drawing an end. Japanese experts are expected in Baku in May to negotiate with the Azerbaijan government over funding the refurbishment of part of the Valvalachay-Takhtakorpu, while the Asian Development Bank is holding talks to reconstruct irrigation systems in mountainous parts of Azerbaijan. It is planning to allocate $22 million in credit for the project.

Speaking of the irrigation systems in regions bordering Armenia, the committee chairman noted that Armenia proposed Azerbaijan via the OSCE to jointly use the irrigation system in Terter province. But, Azerbaijan, being at war with Armenia, refused the offer. "The conflict with Armenia is causing huge problems with water supplies to bordering regions", he highlighted.

$1.5m to be invested in Garadagh Cement

Executives from Garadagh Cement open joint stock company held a news conference at the Press Club of Baku Friday to update on the company's environmental activities.

It was announced that discharge of production wastes has been considerably cut after the JSC was taken over by world known Swiss Holcim, with four electric purification filters installed in mills and sheds. The Garadagh plant is currently utilizing wastes from bp's oil derricks, manager of the alternative fuel department Robert Martin said.

According to general director of Garadagh Cement, David Stone, $1.5 million will be invested in the company by the end of 2004 to implement the reconstruction plan of the plant, to gradually resolve ecological problems and to produce quality products.

Senior specialist of the ecological department Sardar Aliyev said the JSC is closely cooperating with specialists from the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and Azecolab. The interaction enables to conduct laboratory analyses of wastes being discharged. Garadagh Cement's activities have been certified with ISO 9001: 2000.

Chief of the information and analytic department Isgandar Sardarli said that the company had spent $127,000 on the promotion of health, culture, child arts and sports. It has transferred AZM23.2 billion in taxes to the state budget since it was privatized in 1999.

Journalists and participants in the news conference then witnessed a film on the Garadagh plant.

Interfood Azerbaijan opens

By Zaur Rasulzade Azernews Contributor

The 8th Azerbaijan international exhibition "Interfood Azerbaijan-2002" - foodstuffs, drinks, packing and production technologies - opened at the Europe Hotel of Baku Wednesday. 40 firms from 15 countries, including Turkey, Germany, Spain, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, etc. are offering various products, including foodstuffs, alcoholic and other drinks, processing equipment, freezing facilities.

The show is organized by the British ITE Group Plc. and its exclusive partner in Azerbaijan Iteca Caspian Ltd.

Representatives from British ITE Group Plc. and the Azerbaijan Ministry of Agriculture held a briefing before the opening of the exhibition. Stressing the necessity of the show, ITE Group representative in Azerbaijan Kamran Mehdiyev said that 25 firms from 10 nations took pat in last year's exhibition. He explained the rising number of participants with the interest in the event.

Attending the opening ceremony were minister for agriculture Irshad Aliyev and chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Suleyman Tatliyev.

ITE Group Plc. is the organizer of more than 300 large industrial exhibitions and conferences around the world.

New cargo vessel due

The "Maestro Niyazi" cargo vessel the Azerbaijan State Caspian Shipping Company has purchased from the "Krasnoye Sormovo" plant in Russia, is due in Baku on May 4-5. The vessel was sent from Nizhni Novgorod, Russia on April 25.

The vessel is 140 meters long and 16.65 meters wide, with cargo lifting capacity of 3900 tons in the river and 5500 tons in the sea.

The shipping company possesses 68 various vessels.

Perfect Taxpayer award founded

The Ministry of Taxes has disclosed the list of companies awarded the Perfect Taxpayers of 2001. Wining the title were Mingachevir Glass Fiber joint stock company, Samir-N construction company, the Azeri-Turkish joint venture Aztel, the Azerbaijan International Film Company, "Azertechizat" material and technical supplier, and Titan Ltd. The award was conferred in a ceremony Wednesday.

This is the first time that the Perfect Taxpayer has been awarded. The honor will be conferred to the best tax payers every year.

New auto transformer on hydro power station

Specialists from Azerenergy joint stock company are installing a new 150 MW strong auto transformer on the Araz hydro power station in Nakhchivan in a bid to augment power supplies from Iran to the blockaded region of Azerbaijan. The new facility will be operating in parallel with the old one. The work is being done in line with the program of improvement of electricity supplies to the autonomous republic and will be completed in mid-May. The commissioning of the transformer is expected to increase the consuming capacity by 15-20 MW and enable to repair the existing transformer of 40 MW on the plant if necessary, Azerenergy said Friday. Negotiations will start with Iran shortly to hike power supplies to Nakhchivan and discuss the construction of the second 230 kW Imishli-Parsabad electricity transmission line. The two nations are currently exchanging power through the operating 50 MW Parsabad line. Actual power consumption in Nakhchivan makes up 120-130 MW, including 50 MW from Iran, 40-50 from Turkey and 22 from the Araz power plant.

Azeri energy specialists to join Batumi conference

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) is expected to hold a Transcaucasian regional scientific and practical conference "Problems with measuring the power loss reduction, collection of power consumption fees" in Batumi, Georgia in May, Azerenergy joint stock company said Monday. The gathering will center on improving current distribution networks and power transmission lines, constructing new installations and meeting up-to-date demands. The application of technological and systematic automation, introduction of new management facilities, computerization of dispatcher services and setting up of an appropriate database will be emphasized. Also in focus will be using untraditional power sources, including wind generators, solar batteries, thermal water, as well as solving ecological problems arising with operation of power stations. Attending the conference will be leading specialists from the Azeri Ministry of Fuel and Energy, Azerenergy and Barmek-Azerbaijan joint stock companies.

Siemens, Azerenergy specialists to test power transformer

Deputy chief engineer of Azerenergy joint stock company Rafig Mammadov and director of its special repair and construction department Akif Hajiyev in cooperation with specialists from German Siemens are expected to go to Zagreb, Croatia to test a power transformer for the sub-station in Agjabadi, central Azerbaijan. The testing will take place in the Siemens plant.

The large-size transformer is a crucial component of the 330/110 kW strong sub-power plant that the German major is constructing in Azerbaijan. The testing is expected to confirm the facility's conformity with international standards and the International Energy Commission program. The trial covering 15 items will be summed up in a joint protocol.

The construction of the sub-station in the interior of Azerbaijan was launched in February of this year. Its duration is intended to be 7 months. All contractor activities are being performed by local units.