Ways to reduce food waste were discussed

A meeting on “Food waste: solutions to the problem” was organized by the Food Safety Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijan Entrepreneurs’ Confederation and supported by PASHA Bank.

By opening the meeting, Mehran Mammadli, head of the Department of Cooperation with Entrepreneurs of the Food Safety Institute of the Republic of Azerbaijan, touched upon the problem of food losses and the establishment of a food bank in our country. “We are endeavoring to attract entrepreneurs involved in all links of the food chain to prevent food losses,” Mammadli said, adding that they are trying to achieve an optimal solution based on international experience.

Akbar Aliyev, head of the food chain control and regional departments, stated that one of the stages of the food chain is the process of utilization. In the past months of 2020 and 2021, it was decided to destroy 7,489 tons, 84,000 deciliters of products, and dispose of 92,000 tons and 113 deciliters of products. He informed the participants regarding the main products involved in the process of neutralization and disposal.

According to Anar Valiyev, a representative of ADA University, 1.3 billion tons of food are lost or wasted in the world every year. The cost of food loss and waste is $ 680 billion. In developing countries, the figure stands at $ 310 billion. Valiyev informed entrepreneurs regarding the main causes of waste and the economic benefits of reducing it. One of the intriguing facts is that rice accounts for 14% of food losses in Azerbaijan. 12% of wheat and 10 potatoes are lost. It is noteworthy that the rice loss is 4-5% in Turkey and 14-15% in Azerbaijan.

Proposals on ways to eradicate the challenge were voiced on the re-use of short-lived products, the establishment of a food bank, and the delivery of the food bank to low-income families in need of NGOs.

It was decided to hold discussions on the issue with the participation of stakeholders.