In Current Year, Exports Fell Twice - Expert

Baku / 18.05.17 / Turan: Export of agricultural products from Azerbaijan this year increased by 44%, the Minister of Agriculture Heydar Asadov said at the opening of the XXIII Azerbaijan International Exhibition Food Industry World Food Azerbaijan 2017 and XI Azerbaijan International Exhibition Agriculture Caspian Agro 2017, held in the capital's Expo Center the day before.

In particular, it is asserted that the export of agricultural products in the first quarter of this year increased by 44% compared to the reporting period last year. Here we are talking about crop production, as well as fruit and vegetable exports, and the head of the Ministry of Agriculture forecasts future growth in this direction and that the situation will improve from year to year. "I deeply respect the Minister's opinion, but ordinary people might think that in this area, in fact, a significant breakthrough has been made. For this reason, I believe that this point requires detailed consideration," the agricultural expert Vahid Maharramov said. According to our interlocutor, the calculations below are based on official data.

"Taking into account the fact that for many years the country exported agricultural products and foodstuffs for $ 200 million every four months every year, this year there is a twofold fall. And while for the first four months of the past years the country exported tea for 13.8 million dollars and sugar for 79.5 million dollars, in the first quarter of this year, tea exports amounted to 2.8 million dollars, and sugar - 13.6 million dollars. As you can see, this year the export of tea decreased by 5 times, and sugar - by 6 times. For example, for 4 months of 2012, butter and fats of vegetable and animal origin were exported for $ 76.3 million. In the current year, exports in this position fell 15 times - to $ 5 million."

According to Maharramov, against this background, imports of meat, milk, fruit, tea and other products increased significantly. "In the first quarter of this year, meat imports increased 2.6 times. Import of meat in live weight increased by 48%, milk - by 98%, flour products - 20%, fruits - 7%, tea - 29%, sugar - 13%. Imports of other food increased 45%.

For four months of 2013, the country imported food for 317 million 522 thousand dollars. In the current year, we have already imported products for 412 million 849 thousand dollars. Thus, during the reporting period, exports from the country declined by $ 100 million compared to previous years, and the importation of food increased by the same amount. According to the expert, the complexity of the situation is that the dependence on food imports is growing every year, which is due to a reduction in local production.

Earlier, the Ministry of Agriculture reported that in January-March 2017, agricultural products were exported for $ 80 million 234.1 thousand, which is 57.7% higher than the same period last year. In particular, it was reported that the country exported 29,548 tons of fruit (an increase of 58.5%) for $ 34 million 951.3 thousand (an increase of 19.9%) and 26,037 tons of vegetables (an increase of 92.7%) for $ 20 million 449.9 thousand (an increase of 44.9%). During the reporting period, 12,515 tons of cotton were also exported (6.5 times growth) for $ 17 million 152 thousand (an increase of 8 times). In the first quarter of 2017, 994,400 units of tanning raw materials were exported (33.1% decrease) for $ 2 million 193.7 thousand (an increase of 58.7%), 1.164 thousand tons of tobacco (+35.4%) for $ 3 million 898.3 thousand (an increase of 6.8%). In the past year, exports of agricultural products amounted to $ 426 million 111.7 thousand, which is 20.7% higher than the indicator for 2015. -0--