Concerns have surfaced in Azerbaijan’s aquaculture sector after reports emerged that solidified chicken waste is being used as fish feed in some ponds, raising serious food safety and environmental questions.
The claim was made by Eyyub Huseynov, chairman of the Azerbaijan Free Consumers Union, in an interview with KhazarTV.
According to Huseynov, certain fish farmers use hardened poultry waste as it “develops worms over time,” which are then eaten by fish – a practice he acknowledged has some “biological logic” but poses significant health risks.
“Yes, worms form naturally in these wastes, and fish feed on them,” Huseynov said. “However, such a feeding method can contaminate the fish and, in turn, harm the health of consumers. We currently have only one confirmed report from a fish farmer, so it’s too early to call this a widespread issue.”
KhazarTV also obtained confirmation from a fish farmer in Neftchala, who spoke on condition of anonymity and declined to provide further details.
In response, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Center stressed that dumping untreated waste – whether domestic, industrial, or biological – into water bodies is strictly prohibited under Azerbaijani law.
“This ban applies to all reservoirs, regardless of whether they are used for commercial fish farming,” the ministry’s press office stated. “If such violations are detected, citizens should immediately contact the Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency (AFSA) rather than destroy the product themselves.”
The ministry added that each report will trigger a thorough investigation, and violators will face penalties in line with national regulations.
