Azerbaijan increases exports of fruits and vegetables
By Narmina Mammadova
Azerbaijan spends significant efforts to export its agriculture products to more European and CIS countries and this already begins to bear fruits.
Over the past several years, the share of local agricultural products in export has significantly increased. Azerbaijan exports its fruits and vegetables to Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Poland, Latvia, Georgia, as well as some European counties such as Italy and Germany.
The export value of fruits and vegetables in January-October 2018 amounted to $ 405.5 million.
In January-November of 2018, Azerbaijan exported 549,369 tons of fruits and vegetables worth $ 495,060.
According to the State Customs Committee, this is 56,585 tons (11.48% ) and $42,332 ( 9.35%) more compared to the same period last year.
For January-November months, exports of fruits and vegetables amounted to 2.76 percent of total exports of Azerbaijan.
The main fruit and vegetable products exported from Azerbaijan are pure nuts, tomatoes, palm, apples, cherries, potatoes, cucumber and gherkins, onions, peaches, pomegranates, fresh grapes and so on.
In 2017, Azerbaijan's income from exports of fruits and vegetables increased by 42.4 percent, reaching $253.66 million. These productions had a share of 4.1 percent in total exports.
Today, there is a strong competition in European market, which is mainly provided by North Africa and Southern European countries. Despite the fact, Azerbaijani fruits, which are distinguished by being organic, can take a worthy place in the European market.
The export missions play an important role in expanding non-oil exports and promoting the domestic made products. To date, Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) has organized 13 export missions to 10 foreign countries-Germany, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Hungary, China, Russia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.
Exhibitions, organized by the state bring excellent results. National entrepreneurs took part in different international exhibitions-Gulfood 2017, Prowein, ANUGA, Worldfood Moscow 2017 and the International Exhibition of Wines and Alcoholic Beverages in Hong Kong to promote the brand.
President Ilham Aliyev signed the decree on large-scale promotion of local non-oil products in foreign markets as “Made in Azerbaijan” on October 5, 2016.
This decree includes nine different support mechanisms to stimulate exports and promote “Made in Azerbaijan” abroad. Depending on the support mechanisms, the costs relating to their realization are fully or partially covered by the state budget.
Promotion of the “Made in Azerbaijan” brand on foreign markets became one of the priorities of the country’s foreign economic policy.
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