Chocolate Products Exported More Than Produced

In the five months of this year, the official volume of production of chocolate products in Azerbaijan amounted to 744.5 tons, the State Statistics Committee told Turan. However, the real output is much more, as evidenced by the customs statistics on the export of these products.

According to the State Customs Committee, in the first quarter of this year, local manufacturers exported to different countries (Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iraq, Georgia, Mongolia, Russia, and others.) 975.6 tons of chocolate products worth about $ 2.9 million.

During this period, 8,100 tons of chocolate was imported from Europe, Russia, Ukraine and others. Notably, the export of Azerbaijani chocolate was made at an average price $ 3 / kg, and imports - less than 2 $ / kg.

The main producers of chocolate products in Azerbaijan are the confectioneries Ulduz and Shirin. The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic also has a chocolate factory, which in 2014 increased its production by 29 tons and brought it to a record – 1,732 tons.

According to the SSC, in 2014 the volume of production of chocolate products in Azerbaijan decreased from 5.2 thousand tons (2013) to about 4 thousand tons. In value terms, the production was 10.8 million manats. At the same time, according to the official data of the State Customs Committee, last year, almost the entire volume of production was sent for export. And in 2013 SCC registered the export of 5,483.8 tons, exceeding the volume of local production by 279 tons. Perhaps it indicates certain unregistered (informal) industrial activities.

According to the food balance of 2013, the consumption of chocolate products in Azerbaijan amounted to 24.6 thousand tons. Per capita consumption of chocolate products was 2.6 kg per year. In Russia, for example, in 2013 the figure was 4.36 kg.

Last year, the volume of chocolate imports to Azerbaijan was 24,718.4 tons, 7.4% less than in 2013. The volume of direct costs of imports amounted to over $ 43 million. That's $ 3.7 million less than in 2013.

For comparison, in 2012-2014, Georgia purchased abroad chocolate products, respectively, in the amount of $ 53,080,500, $ 62,159,700 and $ 59,589,200. -----08B