Azerbaijan Agricultural Trade Mission to the State of Washington

Azerbaijan Agricultural Trade Mission to Wenatchee, WA, is an industry-specific trade mission of Azerbaijani orchard growers, packers, importers and exporters to the State State of Washington. The mission took place from December 5^th through the 8^th. Mission members attended the North-West Horticultural Exposition and visited farms, food processing operations, and education and research institutions, where they participated in seminars on organic farming practices. 

The goal of the Mission was: 

• Raised awareness about agribusiness opportunities in both economies.
• Increased trade in agricultural products, equipment, and inputs between the United States and Azerbaijan. 
• To educate members of the Azerbaijani delegation on best practices in farm management, regulations, and promotion, with a particular emphasis on the application of agricultural innovations, processing, post-harvest management, agricultural education, and R&D in agriculture.
• Explore avenues to ease trade and supply chain disruptions in the Caspian region due to the Russia-Ukraine war, including exploration of possible opportunities for joint production and processing of food and agricultural commodities for domestic and export markets. 
• Crafting needs-based joint education and training programs. 

Program

Day 1: December 5

North-West Hort Expo | Wenatchee Convention Center 

Reception in honor of the Azerbaijan Agriculture Trade Delegation | Hilton Garden Inn

Day 2: December 6

Tour of CMI Orchards, LLC

Tour of Union Hill Cidery

Presentation by Washington State Department of Agriculture on Organic Food Production

Tour of COSTCO Wholesale

Day 3: December 7

Tour of Rocky Reach Dam

Presentation at the Wenatchee Fruit Tree Research and Extension Center

Tour of Stemilt Growers, LLC

Background: The USACC and USAID/Azerbaijan have been partnering to promote bilateral economic relationships between Azerbaijan and individual U.S. states since 2019. In April and November 2019, USACC and USAID co-organized the inaugural Illinois-Azerbaijan Agriculture Forum in Chicago and the Oklahoma-Azerbaijan Agriculture Forum in Oklahoma City. These two events brought together agribusinesses from each state. These settings provided participating businesses with direct access to major stakeholders in Illinois, Oklahoma, and Azerbaijan. Both trade missions generated over $1.2M in agricultural trade between Azerbaijan and the United States.