Trade with Georgia - Contradictory Statistics

In the first eight months of this year the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Georgia amounted to $ 320.9 million, or $ 98.9 million (23.6%) less than in the comparable period of 2014, calculated by the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan. Other figures were provided by the colleagues of the Azerbaijani customs in Georgia.

According to the official figures of Georgia, in January-August 2015 the trade turnover with Azerbaijan amounted to $ 395.4 million, which is about two times less than the same period in 2014 ($ 794.7 million).

The Azerbaijan customs reports on the importation of goods from Georgia in the amount of $70.3 million, while the Georgian side for the first eight months of 2015 estimated the volume of exports of goods to Azerbaijan at $ 102 million more. The Azerbaijan customs registered exports of goods to Georgia, totaling $ 272.6 million, and Georgia registered $ 357.8 million.

It is enough to cite a few examples that show that Georgia and Azerbaijan consider the figures differently.

According to the Azerbaijani side in the first half of this year 39.9 tons of medical supplies worth $ 482 thousand were delivered from Georgia. Georgia announced that 1,000 tons of locally produced drugs worth $ 15 million 656.7 thousand passed its border.

Georgia exported live cattle valued at $ 7 million 780 thousand to Azerbaijan, says an official source in this country. The Azerbaijan customs has estimated it at $ 757 thousand.

In the first half of this year, Azerbaijan exported plaster of $ 555.6 thousand to Georgia (Azerbaijan State Customs Committee). The Georgian customs rated this item (36,900 tons) at $ 5.1 million. ----08B