Azerbaijan’s wine strategy falls short as exports slump and imports rise

According to the State Statistics Committee, the value of agricultural production in Azerbaijan at actual prices amounted to 2 billion 536.9 million manats in January–April 2026. Of this amount, 2 billion 320.4 million manats accounted for livestock production, while 216.5 million manats came from crop production.

On May 25, a meeting chaired by President Ilham Aliyev was held in Baku to discuss agricultural development and preparations for a new 2026–2030 State Programme worth nearly 6 billion manats ($3.5 billion). The meeting focused on food security concerns, stagnation in agricultural production, modernization of irrigation infrastructure, expansion of modern irrigation systems, productivity growth and the attraction of private investment into the agricultural sector.

Our research has shown that food products have been steadily becoming more expensive on the global market for the past three months.

In a recent interview with the media, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Agriculture Majnun Mammadov stated that the cultivation areas of farmers participating in the country’s food wheat program are being expanded: “Last year, within the framework of the program, 126 thousand tons of food wheat were harvested from 22 thousand hectares of land” (1).