Actual Volume of Asphalt in Baku and Regions of Azerbaijan Underestimated

Actual production of asphalt, one of the important industrial products in Azerbaijan in terms of huge public investment in road-building complex, is largely hidden. This is evidenced by even the official statistics.

According to the State Statistics Committee, in 2013, Azerbaijan produced 576.4 thousand tons (-0.2%) of trade asphalt. Of these, the share of Baku city was just 158.2 thousand tons. The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (NAR), where, according to media reports, there is a more authoritarian regime, produced 408,585 tons of this production, 2.58 times more than in Baku. Production growth in the exclave for the year amounted to 6%. In other words, in other regions of the country asphalt production is allegedly absent, although the producers themselves say that they have factories in Guba, Siyazan and Agstafa regions (Corporation Accord), Yevlakh, Gabala, Gazakh, Lankaran and Gobustan regions (Gilan Holding). There is also production capacity of asphalt at Azeryolservis (state-owned enterprise for road maintenance).

JSC Construction and Industrial Investment Corporation Accord notes (http://www.akkord.az/index.php?options=news&id=60&news_id=686) that the volume of its production capacity (5 plants) is over 1.6 million tons. The latest plant of the corporation was put into operation in August last year (capacity - 240 tons per hour).

The total capacity of five asphalt plants of Gilan Holding is 680 thousand tons (http://gilanholding.com/construction/Qebele+Asfalt+zavodu+70).

According to operative data, in 2014, Azerbaijan produced 402 thousand tons of asphalt. Statistical Office of the NAR notes that more than half of this amount (208,683.4 tons) accounted for the autonomous republic’s enterprises.

During the first quarter of this year, the official volume of asphalt in Azerbaijan amounted to 75.1 thousand tons, 4.1% more than in January-March 2014.

In 2009-2010, the reported production statistics was respectively 1 million 632 thousand and 1 million 131 thousand tons of asphalt.  --08B-