Azerbaijan sees rise in foodstuff import
By Nigar Abbasova
Azerbaijan recorded an increase in the volume of imported foodstuff in 2016.
Food products accounted for some 15.5 percent of the total volume of import in the reported period. The country imported products worth some $1.322 billion last year, facing an increase of some 34.98 percent, according to State Customs Committee.
The import of meat increased by 94.49 percent and hit $38.622 million, while the import of butter, as well as animal fats and oils, increased almost twofold up to $48.384 million. Import of fruit and vegetable increased 2.3 times and stood at $135.005 million, tea – 2.7 times ($44.735 million), milk 34.4 percent ($8.034 million).
The volume of wheat import increased by 18.2 percent and stood at 1.6 million tons.
Azerbaijan plans to gradually replace foreign imports with domestic production and increase a competitiveness of local production.
Ensuring food security is one of the country's strategic goals, while one of the key elements of this concept is to eliminate dependence on foodstuff imports.
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.
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Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova
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