AZERBAIJAN OFFICIALS TO VISIT UNIVERSITY

Ten agriculture officials from Azerbaijan plan to study agricultural credit and lending during a visit to Southeast Missouri, June 5-15.

The group includes seven bankers and three agribusiness representatives.

The visit is designed to help the nation as it moves toward privatization of agribusiness.

"The state of agriculture in Azerbaijan is in chaos," said Lester Goodin, coordinator of the international development program. "Agriculture privatization has not proceeded in an orderly fashion."

He said the purpose of the program is to introduce the group to techniques of lending money to farmers and agribusiness.

Southeast Missouri State University is cooperating with Agriculture Management Group, Harris-Stowe State College, the Missouri Extension Service and private organizations to instruct the group.

During the 10-day visit, the group will visit the Southeast Missouri State University demonstration farm and several area farms, a start-up rice processing company, an area credit union, and various agriculture offices.

The Azerbaijanis will attend a Cape Capahas baseball game and an outdoor concert at Capaha Park, as well as visit the Cape Girardeau riverfront and the Pink Rock Shut-ins on the Castor River.

The group's study in Southeast Missouri will end June 15. The group will leave Cape Girardeau on June 16 for a week at Harris-Stowe State College in St. Louis. The group then will spend three days in Kansas City before returning to Azerbaijan on June 26.

The U.S. Agency for International Development funds the program through the Academy for Educational Development.