Azerbaijan Potatoes: Trust, Protection and the Market

The International Potato Tour continues in Azerbaijan. In the Jalilabad region, Viktor Kovalev met with representatives of EMA Group and Avgust to discuss the potato market, crop protection, farmer support and the main challenges facing the industry. The conversation covers why potatoes remain a strategic crop for Azerbaijan, how farmers manage late blight and Colorado potato beetle, why cooperation and product segmentation are becoming essential, and how new crop protection solutions can help farmers improve results. Timestamps: 00:01 — International Potato Tour in Jalilabad, Azerbaijan 01:27 — EMA Group: company history and work with farmers 02:27 — 22 shops, agronomists and free farmer support 03:25 — Why farmers cannot wait when potato diseases appear 03:51 — New Avgust solutions for potato protection 05:24 — Insight and Libertador against late blight 06:36 — Farmer trust and EMA Group’s strategy 08:29 — Potato as a strategic crop for Azerbaijan 09:55 — Main challenges: diseases and pests 11:43 — Yield potential: from 25–30 to 60–70 tons per hectare 12:44 — Why the market needs potato segmentation 14:23 — Farmer cooperation and government support 15:21 — How farmers can earn money in 2026 16:07 — Price cycles: a chance to become a millionaire or go bankrupt 17:53 — Do not put all your eggs in one basket 18:42 — Why potatoes matter for Azerbaijan’s cuisine and economy #Avgust