Meat is getting more expensive, imports are growing, and the quality...

In recent years, Azerbaijan has faced a noticeable increase in both the cost of meat and its imports. This increase in imports covers the entire spectrum of goods - from live animals to processed meat, raising concerns about the quality and taste of meat available on the market. Over the past few days, the price of beef has increased again by 1-2 manats per kilogram, which has increased consumer concern.

The State Customs Committee (SCC) reported that from January to July of this year, Azerbaijan imported 24.3 thousand tons of meat worth $ 46.9 million. During the same period last year, the country imported 39.8 thousand tons of meat worth $ 23.5 million. Along with this trend, imports of live animals in the first seven months of this year reached $51.2 million, which is significantly more than $29.4 million in the same period last year – a staggering 74.1 percent increase.

The Government's response to public concerns about the quality of imported meat remains unclear. Vahid Akhmedov, a member of the Milli Majlis Committee on economic policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship, admitted in an interview with Turan that the sharp increase in imports can be explained by a shortage of local production, noting that "previously meat was imported from abroad. And now imports have increased even more, and in this regard, there is an increase in meat prices."

Inflation, Akhmadov claims, was also imported into the country, which prompted him to call for increased emphasis on local production and increased access of entrepreneurs to preferential loans. He believes that the development of animal husbandry in the recently liberated territories could significantly reduce the need for meat imports.

Touching upon the issue of quality, Akhmedov notes that imported meat undergoes thorough inspection, inspection and certification. However, he admits that the quality of local meat is superior to the quality of its imported counterpart. 

Agriculture expert Vahid Maharramov agrees with this, expressing his opinion that the price increase lacks a strong economic justification. In a comment for Radio Azadlig, he emphasizes that while meat production in Azerbaijan has increased by about 3 percent, meat imports have increased, while the cost of live animals delivered for slaughter has increased by 74 percent.

Magerramov emphasizes the lack of a corresponding increase in meat prices on the world market, pointing out that the situation may be more complicated than the simple dynamics of supply and demand. He notes that most of the imported meat comes from Ukraine in frozen form and includes various types of meat, such as beef and lamb. Although the quality of most imported meat products generally meets the standards, he assumes that this meat is primarily intended for catering establishments.