Subsidies Were Paid for Unplowed Fields

The Chamber of Accounts has identified a number of serious violations and inconsistencies during audits conducted at the Ministry of Agriculture, the Agrarian Credit and Development Agency (AKIA), and the Agrarian Subsidy Council.

The information was published in the Chamber’s official bulletin, State Audit. The inspections covered the years 2022-2025.

According to the report, based on satellite imagery, cultivation work, and in some cases even plowing, could not be confirmed on 117,454 hectares of land. Despite this, a total of 24.2 million manats in crop subsidies was paid to 19 farmers.

The audit also found significant discrepancies between the areas for which subsidies were paid and the areas that were actually harvested.

Thus, in 2023–2024, subsidies totaling 10.235 million manats were paid for 44,502 hectares of land where no harvesting took place.

So far, it has not been possible to obtain comments from the state institutions named in the report.

It should be recalled that last year the Ministry of Finance also drew attention to inconsistencies between the amount of subsidies allocated and actual agricultural production.

The ministry stated: “Despite increases in crop subsidy coefficients, decreases in production volumes are being observed for relevant crop types.”

Agricultural subsidies in Azerbaijan began in 2007 alongside increases in fuel prices. In subsequent years, subsidy amounts were gradually increased.

Currently, the base subsidy amount for crop production is set at 200 manats. For example, in 2024, the planting coefficient for wheat was set at 1.1, bringing the subsidy amount to 220 manats.

Starting from 2025, an additional 60-manat subsidy will be paid for cultivated land using modern irrigation systems. Subsidies for repeat planting will apply only to irrigated lands.