Country sees rise in agricultural export

The export of the agriculture sector, being the third biggest sphere in Azerbaijani economy after oil and gas and construction, increased in 2016.

Azerbaijan exported agriculture production worth $426 million, recording an increase of $73 million or 20.7 percent compared to the figure of 2015.

Agriculture Minister Heydar Asadov said that the country has managed to increase the export volume of all agricultural production, excluding potatoes and onions.

“Some $108 million of the sum fell to a share of export of tomatoes and cucumbers, while $105 million accounted for the export of circassian walnut and hazel. Export of cotton stood at $24 million, while tobacco export averaged $8 million,” he said while addressing a conference dedicated to the results of the State Program on Socio-Economic Development of the Regions of Azerbaijan in 2014-2018 in Baku, January 30.

Talking about the import of agricultural production, he said that significant reductions were observed in the import of such products as eggs (27 percent), barley (95 percent), Indian corn (45 percent), livestock (46 percent), poultry (55 percent), and small cattle (5 percent).

The country imported products worth some $1.322 billion last year, facing an increase of some 34.98 percent, according to State Customs Committee.

Azerbaijan plans to gradually replace foreign imports with domestic production and increase a competitiveness of local production.

The country currently ranks the 57th among 113 countries of the world according to the Global Food Security Index 2016, while the highest scores are recorded on such indicators as the presence of food safety net programs, low level of food loss, food safety, access to financing for farmers.