Domestic Food Production Unreliable

In Azerbaijan, problems in the agricultural sector are deepening. For a long time, existing problems have not been resolved, and for this reason, food and agricultural production declined. And as a result, the country continues to increase prices for agricultural products and food. The public was already sufficiently informed a few years ago that such a situation could arise.

Azerbaijan is one of the countries producing the largest amount of bread per person.

Rapid population growth increases the need for food, as well as raw materials produced by domestic industry in agriculture. However, what is happening in the country? Every year, agricultural production is reduced. Unfortunately, Azerbaijan does not satisfy its needs for any kinds of food products. According to the WHO, the norm of meat consumption per year is 78 kg, and in Azerbaijan 33 kg are consumed, that is, only up to 42 percent of consumption is produced. And if we take together the import of meat and meat products, then only 51% of the total demand is provided. So, in 2018, 39.8 kg of meat and meat products were produced per person in the country (Table 1).

Table 1. Annual consumption of livestock products per person, in kg. Source: State Statistics Committee (SSC).

It should be noted that Azerbaijan among the CIS countries is the country with the smallest meat production after Tajikistan (Table 2).

Milk production in Azerbaijan is much lower than demand. So, in accordance with WHO standards, 405 kg of milk and dairy products should be produced per person per year. In Azerbaijan, in 2018, 212 kg of milk was produced per person. Produced milk and dairy products provide the needs of the population by only 52%. Together with imported milk and dairy products in 2018, the consumption of dairy products per person amounted to 240.2 kg (Table 1). And this amounts to 59% of total consumption. In the past year, compared with 2014-2015, the consumption of milk and dairy products per person decreased by 6 kg. For comparison, it should be noted that in 2018 in Armenia, 235 kg of milk was produced per person, which is 23 kg more than in Azerbaijan. I would like to note that among the CIS countries only Belarus is completely successful in fulfilling WHO standards for the production of milk and dairy products (Table 2).

Despite the statement by President Ilham Aliyev that “we not only provide ourselves with the production of eggs, but also export them,” the situation in this area is not encouraging. So, at a rate of 291 eggs per person per year, in 2018 only 171 eggs were produced per person. In the same year, egg consumption per person amounted to 153, which is up to 52 percent of the WHO norm. It should be noted that over the year, egg production decreased by 38 million pieces. So, in 2017, 1 billion 714 million units were produced in the country, and in 2018 production amounted to 1 billion 676 million units. In egg production, Azerbaijan is far behind the CIS countries (excluding Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan). In Armenia, in 2018, 245 eggs were produced per person, which is 74 more than in Azerbaijan. Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan annually produce more than normal eggs per person.

Crop production is also below the level of self-sufficiency, especially in terms of providing the country with food wheat, which depends on imports. According to the State Statistics Committee, during the year, 2 million 200 thousand tons of wheat are used for food production. Over 10 months of this year (January-October), 1 million 371 thousand tons of food wheat were imported into the republic. Over the next 2 months, imports of food wheat will continue. This means that Azerbaijan cannot satisfy its need for food wheat due to domestic production even by half.

Unfortunately, potato production is also not at the level of providing needs. The consumer norm of potatoes per year is 117 kg, and in Azerbaijan in 2018, 92 kg were produced per person. For this reason, in 2018, potato consumption per person is up to 63%, i.e. 73.5 kg. Of these, 16 kg is imported products. Over the past 10 years, potato production in the country decreased by 178 thousand tons. So, in 2008, production amounted to 1 million 77 thousand tons, and in 2018 - 898.9 thousand kg of potatoes. For this reason, potato production per person has continued to decline in recent years. It should be noted that such CIS countries as Belarus, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Armenia produce potatoes much more than the consumer norm. Given the 100 percent satisfaction of needs, they have already begun to export products.

Recently, the Azerbaijani government has noted an increase in the production and export of vegetables. The paradox is that Azerbaijan is among the countries producing the least amount of vegetables per person. Last year, our country produced 155 kg of vegetables per person. With the exception of Moldova and Russia, Azerbaijan among the CIS countries is significantly behind in this matter (Table 2). Armenia produces 122 kg of vegetables per person throughout the year. That is 57 kg more than Azerbaijan.

The rate of consumption of fruits and berries per year per person is 185 kg. In 2018, 98 kg per person was produced in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan lags behind Armenia in this indicator

Table 2. Production in the CIS countries per person in 2018. Source: SSC.

Studies show that Azerbaijan, with the exception of Tajikistan, lags behind other CIS countries in the production of basic food products. It should be noted that Tajikistan is ahead of Azerbaijan in the production of potatoes and vegetables per person (Table 2).

Over the past 25 years, in connection with ensuring food security, dozens of laws, state programs, decrees, and orders have been adopted. Despite this, the government was not able to achieve any major progress in this area.

In the “State Program on Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development for 2008-2015”, special attention was paid to reducing the dependence of the domestic market on imports and satisfying the population’s food needs mainly due to local production. In order to increase the production of agricultural products and improve the provision of food to the population, the "State program on the reliable provision of the population of the Republic of Azerbaijan with food products for 2008-2015" was adopted. This program set tasks such as bringing meat production to 340 thousand tons, milk and dairy products to 2.4 million tons, potato production to 1.12 million tons, tea leaves to 3 thousand tons, and other tasks, which were not achieved.

I believe that the Azerbaijani government, which is a member of the WHO and the FAO, should, based on the recommendations of these organizations, determine the annual food norm and strategic goals related to the country's need for food products, drinking water and food products.

Mainly due to domestic production and partially imports, the government should achieve full satisfaction of the population’s need for food in accordance with WHO standards.