Export of onions from Azerbaijan increased more than 10 times
By Aygul Salmanova
Azerbaijan plans to gradually replace foreign imports with domestic production and increase a competitiveness of local production.
This year the export of onions from Azerbaijan increased more than 10 times, while imports dropped dramatically.
The deputy Minister of Economy Sahil Babayev told Azernews that annual increase of global competitiveness on the onion as other agricultural products produced in Azerbaijan has enabled it to successfully export to foreign markets.
“In the 11 months of 2017, onion exports increased by 16.4 times compared to the same period of the previous year and amounted to $14.9 million. During this period, the onions were exported mainly from our country to Russia, Iraq, Turkmenistan and Georgia,” he noted.
Russia is the main shareholder on onion exports - 61 percent. Next places are taken by Turkmenistan and Iraq. In the context of the current world market volume and prices, onion exports to Azerbaijan are very promising. Currently, a ton of bulb onion on the local market is offered at a wholesale market of about $160. Its average export price is $310 / ton.
There are potential markets and an opportunity to access these markets for exporting Azerbaijani onions. For example, Georgia ($431/ton), Saudi Arabia ($420/ton), Russia ($408/ton), Kuwait ($365/ton), Bahrain ($313/ton) and other countries. Available prices in the potential markets indicate that the onion has a broad perspective and is profitable product in terms of exports.
Onion sowing has been widely spread in Azerbaijan. In 2013, 158,000 tons of onions were delivered, while production in 2016 reached 178,000 tons. The productivity was 15 tons per hectare.
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