Along with traditional financial instruments, alternative financial instruments are also used in agricultural lending. In this regard, the article discusses the possibility of using an Islamic financing mechanism based on partnerships and orders in agriculture, which is an alternative to traditional financing. These instruments are important both for the production of agricultural products and for financing their processing and sale. These tools allow farmers to create an alternative source of financing to interest-bearing loans.

The article examines methodological issues of assessing efficiency in the agriculture on the basis of integral indicators. The opinions of various researchers about the nature of economic and social efficiency are analyzed and the corresponding generalizations are made. The main attention is paid to the disclosure of the features of the formation of integral indicators that characterize the efficiency in the agricultural sector. The expediency of applying a methodological approach is shown, which makes it possible to carry out a comparative assessment of the level of efficiency of the agricultural sector in individual regional sections.

Substantial measures have been implemented in the direction of developing sericulture, one of the traditional fields in the Republic of Azerbaijan, in recent years and a state program has been adopted. The production of wet cocoons in the country is aimed to reach 6000 tons in this program by 2025. As a result of the measures taken in 2019, the production of wet cocoons increased by 25 percent, and raw silk exports increased by 2.8 times. In this article, the author evaluates the current situation of cocoon production and silk export in our republic, make appropriate suggestions for the establishment of a new processing enterprise in this field, increasing production and export.

The economic efficiency of any activity in a market economy is one of the most important conditions for its implementation. In this regard, the correct assessment of the economic efficiency of entrepreneurial activity is of particular importance. Efficiency - reflects the interaction of natural, organizational, economic and social conditions in the activities of an economic entity. The article examines the issues of determining the criteria and indicators of production efficiency in business entities of the agricultural sector. Based on the results of the study, a proposal was prepared on the choice of key indicators for assessing the economic efficiency of entrepreneurial activity in the agricultural sector.

Companies need to make innovative and strategic decisions in order not to lose customer share in the market, to expand their market and to survive as competition intensifies in local and global market. The consumer behavior is changing time to time. Companies need useful and productive information for supporting the decision if they want to be successful in their innovation endeavors. Marketing and market surveys are implemented for obtaining the current situation of the company and the future threats and opportunities. Some companies pay attention to the right side of these surveys and apply the right decisions. However, there are factors that hinder these activities. In this study, these factors were analyzed through questionnaires for managers working in food production enterprises. The obtained information revealed the factors that obstacle the implementation of innovative activities of companies and some suggested solutions are mentioned.

Rural tourism comes to the fore as a means of providing employment in the regions, increasing the social welfare of the population and ensuring the development of rural areas. Today, in developed countries, this type of tourism has developed into a sector shaped according to the natural resources of the regions and the way of life of the local population, and supported by its contribution to sustainable rural development. The development of rural tourism is also important for the Republic of Azerbaijan in terms of the development of alternative industries and employment in rural areas. The article assesses the impact of rural tourism on the socio-economic development of rural areas, explores the possibilities of developing rural tourism in Azerbaijan and puts forward proposals for solving the identified problems.

The article analyzes the level of self-sufficiency of our country in the main types of agricultural products in modern conditions, examines the development of the agricultural market in order to achieve positive shifts in this direction. The factors hindering the development of the agricultural market are considered. The measures to be taken in the field of the formation and development of the market are indicated. At the same time, proposals are made for the formation of effective and transparent market mechanisms.

The article describes the calculation of the Nominal Protection Ratio (NRP), a key indicator of the MAFAP methodology developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the interpretation of the results obtained in terms of trade policy assessment NRP is the degree to which the domestic market, trade policy, and market activity in general affect the prices accepted by value chain participants. The calculation of this indicator is based on the comparison of reference and local prices at different points in the value chain and the assessment of price differences. It should be noted that the difference between domestic prices and reference prices allows us to quantify the impact of domestic trade, market policy and market activity on prices in general. The NRP has been calculated for two agricultural products: wheat and tomatoes. As a result of the study, it was found that, in general, relations between domestic producers and import/export markets are rather weak. From this point of view, in order to reduce wheat imports and increase the self-sufficiency with tomatoes, there is a need for effective integration between agricultural producers and the domestic agricultural market.

The article analyzes the current state of production and processing of tobacco in Azerbaijan, gives the necessary assessments, and also examines the development trends in the cultivation and processing of tobacco. The article reveals the need to accelerate the development of tobacco growing and tobacco fermentation in the country. It is shown that it is advisable to pay more attention to the development of tobacco growing and processing enterprises in order to increase competitiveness and increase efficiency in the non-oil sector of Azerbaijan. It is substantiated that clusters can be more effective in the development of the tobacco and tobacco industry, and some specific proposals were made.