Caution - overdue milk products

With the approach of Novruz, sharply increased consumption of milk and dairy products. Increases the number of overdue and substandard products, especially in the segment of imports almost 100% consisting of pasteurized products with additives.

In retail, the capital, especially in thousands of small "dots" these products often remain for months in lowly adapted refrigerators awaiting buyer (not purchased because of uncompetitive margins ) . In the regions, especially in the villages, the situation with imported products even worse because of the fresh milk and the low purchasing power of the population.

According to the requirements, published on the website of Civil Service for Antimonopoly Policy and Consumer Protection of the Ministry of Economy and Industry (http://www.consumer.gov.az/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1256:s%C3%BCd-m%C9%99hsullar%C4%B1n%C4%B1-alark%C9%99n-diqq%C9%99t-edin&catid=17&Itemid=53&lang=en), cream with a fat content of 10 to 40 % can be stored for three days , its pasteurized analogue - 14 days at a temperature of 4-8 degrees. Cheese and curd, ayran, dovga (local sour milk drinks) and yogurt (gatyg) are stored at the same temperature 2-6 degrees.

Storage products for up to 4 months need powerful refrigeration units ( they do not even come with all the food base ) , supporting the temperature regime of minus 18 degrees or more . It is no secret that the owners of shops in order to save electricity at night turned off refrigerators, which also leads to a violation of trade rules.

Also violated are norms packing ready for the dairy. According to the civil service, it must be labeled. It indicates the name, composition and fat products, the name and address of the manufacturer, trademark, net weight, time and storage conditions, information on how to use and the number of the standard.

Said service practices demonstration test of shopping facilities, often publishing the results of monitoring in small shops belonging to individual entrepreneurs, not tied to major officials. Results of inspections in large retail chains are not published, but that does not mean that everything conforms to the rules and trade.

Azerbaijan's population, according to statistics, consumes 3.6 million tons of this important product per year (per person for 382.98 liters or 1.05 liters per day, which is close to the international standard - 392 liters, based on the milk). Positions of import and domestic production were balanced - to 1.8 million tons in 2013, with the preponderance of imports in the years gone by. The leader in the production of milk per capita is the Lankaran district with 321 liter in 2012.

Purchase prices per liter of local milk, according to the State Statistics Committee, in January 1, 2014 accounted for about 50 kopecks (39.7 kopecks per liter in 2010, 43.2 - in 2011 and 46.39 kopecks in 2012). Optimal retail price in stores - 1 manat (+ or - 10 kopecks) per liter held since 2009.

Foreign products (1.8 million tons in 2013 or 5.5 % per year) at the customs cost $ 9.8 million or $ 0.0544 per liter, and in stores - from $ 1.6 and above. -17D-