Fruit & vegetable export sees growth
By Abdul Kerimkhanov
Agriculture is the fastest growing non-oil sector of the Azerbaijani economy. The ongoing reforms in the agricultural sector have had a serious impact on the development of Azerbaijan's economy, efficient use of land and property, improvement of the sectoral structure of the agricultural sphere and entrepreneurship.
Today, Azerbaijan is mostly self-sufficient in the production of agricultural products, while vegetables and fruits are produced in abundance.
The country also develops greenhouse growing. Usually, the season of growing greenhouse vegetables and fruits ends in Azerbaijan in late May. The largest fruit and vegetable base in Baku is located at Sadarak fair in the Lokbatan settlement, Garadagh district.
In January-June 2019, Azerbaijan increased the export of fruits and vegetables by 15 percent compared to the same period last year.
The growth was $318.4 million in money terms, according to the Export Review of the Center for Economic Reforms Analysis and Communication.
One of the main tasks of the foreign economic strategy of Azerbaijan is the promotion of agricultural products abroad. The development of the non-oil sector of the country's economy, the basis of which is agriculture, is a priority for the state.
As for the export of other non-oil products, exports of plastic and its products totaled $103.3 million, cotton fiber - $75.7 million, chemical products - $45.6 million, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages - $15.5 million, and cotton yarn - $14.6 million.
Compared to the same period in 2018, exports of cotton fiber increased by 2.6 times, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks - 2.2 times, cotton yarn - by 47 percent, plastic and its products - by 44 percent, and chemical products - by 49 percent.
In general, in the first half of 2019, Azerbaijan’s exports amounted to $9.98 billion, which is $1.3 billion or 15 percent higher year-on-year.
In particular, non-oil exports increased by $127 million, or 15 percent, up to $979 million.
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Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94
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