On December 2, 2021, General Director of the Genetic Resources Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, Corresponding Member of ANAS Akparov Zeynal Iba oglu, and Director of RVR International LLC Karimov Ruslan Javanshir oglu signed a collaboration agreement on joint scientific and technical cooperation on pomegranate. The agreement concerns the collection of local varieties and forms of pomegranate at the Karabakh research base of GRI in the Tartar region, as well as the introduction of varieties and forms with scientific and industrial significance from foreign countries to Azerbaijan. Expanding the cultivation of pomegranate in production is very important not only to meet the demand of the population for this product but also to export currency to our country from its export to foreign countries. The research will be carried out under the relevant principles of the Agreement in the Shikharkh settlement of the Terter region, at the Karabakh research base of GRI  with area of 1694 hectares. The population of our country has been engaged in the cultivation of pomegranates since ancient times. Pomegranate is grown in all economic regions of the country. Recently, along with the growing interest of entrepreneurs in the development of pomegranate, scientific research in this area has also become widespread. The Fatima pomegranate, obtained by the breeding from the Bala Mursal pomegranate, by the scientists as Z.I. Akparov, N.A. Hasanov, S.V. Hajiyeva, and E.S. Hajiyiev, has high-quality indicators, and it is also diseases resistant variety. Kurdamir, Sabirabad, Agsu, Goychay, Bilasuvar, Beylagan, and Barda regions are considered suitable to plant pomegranate. For the first time in our country, the pomegranate genome was read at the Genetic Resources Institute of ANAS. The agreement signed between the Genetic Resources Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan and RVR International LLC of the United States of America in the Shikharh settlement of the Terter region is also important for the development of agriculture in the interests of both countries.

In the country, in order to increase the interest of entrepreneurs in the development of pomegranate on a scientific basis and to constantly inform the public about the achievements, awareness-raising activities are being held.

At the annual Goychay pomegranate festival, along with presentation of various varieties of pomegranate, the products made from them are presented too. Pomegranate is not only the cultural heritage of our country but also an invaluable food product that plays a very important role in the health of the population.

In response to the President's calls, the Institute staff also inspected the entire infrastructure of the Karabakh research base, which had very high achievements from 1950 to 1989 before the Armenian occupation and liberated in 2020, and will do their best in order to restore it.