In the initial four months of 2024, Azerbaijan's tomato imports from Turkmenistan surged to 548 tons, valued at 304.9 thousand USD, marking a fivefold increase compared to the previous year. The customs value remained steady at 56 cents per kilogram. Additionally, Azerbaijan's tomato imports from Turkey experienced a significant upturn, increasing by 419 times from January to October 2023. Azerbaijan saw its own tomato exports ascend in the first five months of 2024 to 86,067 tons, fetching 108.587 million USD, an increase in both volume and value over the previous year.
Domestically, tomato prices have risen, with May and June figures ranging from 3 to 5 manats, surpassing last year's prices. The export price per kilogram was reported at 2.38 manats in the first quarter of 2024, lower than domestic market prices. The Ministry of Agriculture highlighted that tomato cultivation spans 18 thousand hectares, yielding over 800 thousand tons annually, with recent years witnessing substantial growth in production. The ministry also noted the provision of subsidies for greenhouse cultivation and stated that market forces regulate prices.
Agricultural expert Vahid Maharramov provided insights into the country's tomato production, indicating an annual yield of 860 thousand tons, or 86 kilograms per capita, with 200 thousand tons exported. He suggested that the remaining produce should suffice for domestic consumption, and attributed high domestic prices to market monopolies and inefficiencies in bringing greenhouse produce to market.
[ 1 manat = €0.54 ]
Source: turan.az