Where New Zealand Lost Ships with Butter on Board for Azerbaijan?

During the first three quarters of 2014 the volume of imports of butter and other oils made from milk was $ 19 million 715.9 thousand, of which $ 16 million. 23.7 thousand or 81.2% accounted for New Zealand cows. In the weight value it was 6 thousand 262.9 tons of oil production of New Zealand companies. These data follow from the report of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan (SCCA).

However, these statistics of SCCA seriously differ from the official statistics of Wellington (http://www.stats.govt.nz/infoshare), according to which during this period Azerbaijan purchased in New Zealand butter in the amount of 85 million 047.6 thousand. New Zealand dollars (rate of the NZ dollar against the US dollar as of December 7 is 1 to 0.771) or $ 65,600,000, or $ 49.5 million or 4 times the customs statistics of Azerbaijan.

In January-September of this year, 99.8% of imports from New Zealand accounted for by butter and products processed of milk. Only in October imports of butter and cheese from New Zealand were 8,260,000 NZD.

According to the State Statistics Committee (SSC) of Azerbaijan, in 2013, total imports of butter and so on dairy oil was 8 367 tons on the declared value of $ 21 million 313.7 thousand. Of these, 5 783.5 tons ($ 15 168.6 thousand) or 69.1% accounted for New Zealand. A ton of New Zealand butter was declared at $ 2,622 or $ 2.6 per kg. On the local market in Azerbaijan a kg of this product is offered at a price not less than 6.5 AZN or about $ 8. In Armenia, for example, 1 ton of imported butter (4,749 tons) cost $ 4,233.5 in 2013.

It is noteworthy that the inadequacy of customs data was also noticed in the statistical department of Azerbaijan, where, as Turan previously reported, making the balance of consumption they took into account the data of the State Veterinary Service (SVS), which issues a certificate to importers. So accounts, hidden by the customs, rise to the surface in other ways. Thus, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, in 2013, imports of butter amounted to 21,644 tons. This figure is almost three times the data of the SCCA.

SSC also reports on the domestic production of 21.9 thousand tons of butter in 2013, taking into account the activities of individuals and households, of which the share of industrial enterprises, located in Baku and Absheron, Bilasuvar, Barda, Lankaran and Ismayilli areas provides for 1.7%, or 376.5 tons of output. If you believe the statistics, attributed to households is 98.3% of all the butter production. By the way, in 2013, according to the statistics, there was produced 24.6% less butter than in 2012 (499.3 tons).

This year, the government revised the structure of food products in the minimum consumer basket, believing that to avoid starving it is enough to consume 7 kg of butter per capita instead of the norm of 8 kg, operating since 2009. Even at this rate, annual consumption of these products in Azerbaijan must be over 66 thousand tons. Thus, taking into account imports (21,644 tons) and domestic production (21.9 thousand tons), the total market for butter was 43 544 tons. Then the question arises where more than 20 thousand tons are hidden. -08A-