Azerbaijan: Unrecorded Imports of Tea More Than 4,000 Tons

Statistics on production and imports of tea in Azerbaijan are placed upside down. If you believe these statistics, it turns out that tea consumption in the country is reduced.

According to the SSC, for 3 months in 2015, 800 kg of tea was packaged, which is 47.3% less than in the same period last year. According to the State Customs Committee, 1,420.7 tons of tea were imported ($ 3 million 178.7 thousand), of which 1,081.2 tons ($ 4,883.3 thousand) were exported after processing.

In 2008-2012 tea production in Azerbaijan ranged 10.6-10.9 thousand tons. In 2013, the production amounted to 7.5 thousand tons, while last year it rose to 8 thousand tons.

In 2014, 474.2 tons of green tea leaves were picked from the fields, which is 16.5% less than in 2013. According to experts, the result of fermentation of 4 kg of tea leaves is production of 1 kg of dry tea. Thus, locally treated tea is not more than 125 kg per year. However, the SSC says that the level of self-sufficiency of tea supply in 2012-2013 was 65.6% and 54.7%, respectively.

According to estimates of the State Statistics Committee, the volume of consumption of tea per capita in Azerbaijan in 2013 was 1.2 kg, 0.2 kg less than in 2009-2010.

In 2014, imports of tea weighing 8,183 tons to Azerbaijan were declared, which is 772.5 tons, or 8.6% less than in 2013. It is noteworthy that the State Statistics Committee in compiling the balance of tea consumption in the country refers to the informal import by citizens of 4,820 tons of this product (data for 2013). Thus, the total import volume reaches 13,000 tons.

Exports decreased and amounted to 5,440.6 tons of processed tea, which is 2,145.2 tons (28.3%) less than in the previous year.

The State Statistics Committee, referring to the regulations, states that annual consumption of tea is not less than 11.6 thousand tons. However, if we add the local production - 125 tons and imports - 13 thousand tons, and then subtract exports – 5,440 tons, it turns out that unrecorded imports are not less than 4,040 tons.

Note that in the first quarter of this year, the State Customs Committee fixed the import of tea from Sri Lanka - 470 tons, India - 42.5 tons, Vietnam - 45.8 tons, Kenya - 21.6 tons, Turkey - 14.2 tons, Russia - 17.7 tons, etc. Azerbaijani tea is exported mainly to Iraq, Georgia, Ukraine and Russia. --08B-