Expensive Seafood for Common People

The paradox is that the majority of the population of Azerbaijan, which is located on the shore of the Caspian Sea, does not consume fish. The reason is high unjustified prices caused by corruption and monopoly. The truth is as follows.

According to statistics, the volume of fish caught and imported into Azerbaijan is much higher than the minimum required. So, according to the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers, in the minimum consumer basket of the population the fish share averages 7.7 kg per year. At the same time, the World Health Organization recommends consuming at least 19.6 kg of fish per person.

Taking into account the population, the minimum requirement for the country as a whole is 69.3 tons of fish per year.

According to the State Statistics Committee, 678.9 tons of fish was caught in Azerbaijan in 2016, against the quota of 793.5 tons, issued in accordance with the rules for the use of fish and other aquatic biological resources.

315.6 tons of caught fish were sprats, 92.5 tons were kutum (a Caspian sort of carp), 86.1 tons were herring, 67.7 tons were mullet, 49.9 tons were roach, 27.3 tons were bream, and 20.8 tons were other species of fish.

Last year, 9,547.53 tons of live and frozen fish was imported to the country for a total of 15 million 384.8 thousand dollars.

According to statistics, the population should not have problems with fish products in the daily diet. However, in reality, fish is inaccessible to many citizens of the country. A quick survey of more than 30 people with average incomes showed that the annual consumption per family does not exceed 5 kg at a minimum rate of 30.5 kg. The reason for this is prices. To the borders of Azerbaijan, fish is on average delivered for $ 1.61. If we add general customs duties (36%) to this, then the import of fish, in general, costs 2.19 dollars. With the trade markup of wholesalers (on average 25%), fish should cost 2.74 dollars.

And as for the local fish, in its pricing there is neither transit of cargo from abroad, nor customs duties. In stores, fresh trout is offered at 13.50 manat, sazan (another sort of carp) - at 12, pike – at 8, and kutum – at 12.90 manat. And this is only a small list of fish names from the whole range.

Even more interesting situation is obtained with sturgeon caviar (black caviar). According to the State Statistics Committee, in 2016 Azerbaijan imported 1.11 tons of caviar for a total of 228.75 thousand dollars. From the country, 300 kg of caviar was exported in the total amount of 51.03 thousand dollars.

In other words, it turns out that caviar was imported to the country on average at $ 206 per kg, and exported at $ 170 per kg. At the same time, we note that in the world market Caspian sturgeon caviar costs about 600-1,000 dollars, depending on the quality.

In statistics with individual countries there are also discrepancies. Our statistics, for example, claims that in 2016 Azerbaijan bought black caviar from Belarus on average at $ 300 per kg, and the National Statistics Committee of Belarus says that over the same period, it supplied black caviar to Azerbaijan at an average price of $ 500 per kg.

Economist-expert Natig Jafarli believes the statistics committee's data are too suspicious, since the world prices for black caviar are much higher than in our official figures.

“I suppose that prices are artificially understated to avoid taxation,” he said. At the same time, Jafarli noted that the fish industry is completely monopolized, which is why the country has high prices for this type of product.

“In Georgia, trout costs 5 lari (3.5 manat), and we have it much more expensive. Our neighbors have about 2 thousand farms engaged in the cultivation of trout. In Azerbaijan, such enterprises can be counted on the fingers of your hand,” he said.

Concerning the standards for minimum fish consumption, Jafarli stressed that the indicators in Azerbaijan are deliberately underestimated, since they also depend on the minimum level of wages and pensions.

“If you specify the correct indicators of the consumer basket, then in the country the minimum wage and pension should exceed 200 manat,” Jafarli said.

The expert noted that our seaside people cannot be counted among peoples who often eat fish for food. The main reason for this is the unreasonably high prices for these products.

Note that international experts say a very interesting fact: the life expectancy of peoples consuming a large quantity of seafood is 5-10 years more than the life expectancy of peoples that for many reasons do not consume fish.

Fish protein is easier to digest than meat protein, and more nourishing than, for example, bird meat protein. Fish is often recommended in various diets.

The content of phosphorus and calcium in fish is 40% higher than in dried apricots or raisins. Fish contains irreplaceable trace elements, such as iodine and manganese. -71D-