A memorandum of cooperation has been signed to explore investment opportunities for paulownia tree cultivation in Azerbaijan.
A memorandum of cooperation has been signed between the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the Azerbaijan Business Development Fund (ABDF) under the Ministry of Economy, Germany’s WeGrow, and the local company Red Valley to explore investment opportunities for paulownia tree cultivation in Azerbaijan.
Under the memorandum, the economic viability, investment potential, and environmental sustainability of a project to establish paulownia plantations on an initial area of 10,000 hectares across the country will be assessed.
The project envisages the phased planting of paulownia trees mainly on open areas of forest fund lands in the Salyan, Shirvan, Sabirabad, Kurdamir, Imishli, Beylagan, and Aghjabadi districts. The planting programme is expected to cover an average of 2,000 hectares annually.
Paulownia is considered a fast-growing tree species with a high carbon absorption capacity and the ability to adapt to various climatic conditions. It is widely used both for industrial purposes, particularly in the production of lightweight, high-quality timber, and in decorative and environmental landscaping projects. Its rapid growth and high biomass yield make paulownia a promising resource for developing the green economy and reducing carbon emissions.
At a later stage, the project is expected to extend beyond tree planting to include the development of the wood-processing industry, the establishment of timber-processing facilities, and the creation of a complete value chain.
WeGrow, a Germany-based company, is an innovative agrienvironmental business specialising in the cultivation of fast-growing tree species, particularly paulownia, as well as carbon sequestration projects and sustainable forestry technologies. The company has international experience in green investment and climate change solutions. Red Valley, in addition to being the official representative of the Phoenix One paulownia variety in Azerbaijan, has extensive practical experience in the agricultural sector.
