Rice Imports Increased by 4.3 Times

In 2015, 26,638.84 tons of rice was imported, which is 4.3 times more than in the previous year, the State Customs Committee said.

Only in the fourth quarter of 2015, Azerbaijan imported 6586.49 tons of rice, which is 400 tons more compared to 2014 (6.1 thousand tons).

According to the food balance in Azerbaijan, in 2014 the total volume of rice consumption in the country amounted to 31,526 tons, or 3.2 kg per capita. Of these, 29 474 tons was imports, according to the State Statistics Committee.

As indicated above, SCC only fixed 6.1 thousand tons of the commodity for customs taxation.

SCC in the preparation of food balance refers to the data of the State Plant Sanitation Service of the Ministry of Agriculture. In 2014 the service recorded rice imports 23,374 tons more than specified in the SCC reports.

It is estimated that the amount of tax evasion from the state budget is not less than $ 10 million.

In 2015, a kilogram of rice was issued in Azerbaijani customs for $ 0.30, while a year earlier the rate was $ 0.43. In retail rice is sold for about $ 1.30 / kg.

The economist Rovshan Agayev said that independent experts and civil society have always criticized the activities of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, based on the real facts of corruption and tax evasion. According to him, SCC step by step listens to this position and moves to the "right path".

In 2015, rice imports were carried out from India (12, 925 tons), Russia (9,764 tons), Thailand (1,386 tons - $ 490.7 thousand.), Pakistan (1,034 tons), Turkey (387 tons), Vietnam (526 tons), and Italy (122 tons).

Note that rice production in Azerbaijan in comparison with 2013 (5,000 tons) decreased approximately two times and amounted to 2,679 tons. -----08B