Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 19
By Azad Hasanli - Trend:
Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran get expanded opportunities to supply goods to Russia after imposition of a ban on import of Ukrainian products, a source in the government of Azerbaijan told Trend Nov. 18.
Russia banned the import of food products from Ukraine starting from January 1, 2016. Russia's Economic Development Minister Alexei Ulyukaev said that as Ukraine joined the economic and financial sanctions against Russia, it was decided to introduce defensive measures in the form of food embargo.
Speaking to Trend, the source explained that Turkey has a direct access to Russia, for example through the Black Sea, thus making it possible to freely supply Turkish goods there.
"Given the beneficial transit terms, Iran is interested in taking its products to Russia through Azerbaijan. Naturally, transit transportations of Iranian products can also become an additional income source for Azerbaijan," said the source.
The share of Azerbaijani goods in total imports to Russia is 0.26 percent, among the CIS countries - only 2.2 percent.
The ban on imports of Ukrainian products to Russia will allow Azerbaijan to increase its exports, particularly considering the fact which share the supply of products from Ukraine to Russia occupied among the CIS countries.
Meanwhile, trade turnover between Russia and Ukraine in January-September 2015 amounted to $10.87 billion, of which the imports of Ukrainian production accounted to $4.24 billion. The import from Ukraine accounts for around 3.1 percent of the total volume of supply to Russia, while it stands at 26.85 percent within CIS.
After deterioration of bilateral relations due to the Crimea issue, the trade turnover between Russia and Ukraine dropped. The trade turnover between the two countries totaled $23.5 billion, while the import stood at $8.8 billion during the same period in 2014. The import of Ukrainian products to Russia accounted for 4 percent of the total volume of deliveries, while it stood at 34 percent within CIS.
Russia imported $3 billion worth products from Turkey in Jan.-Sept. 2015, while the trade turnover between the two countries totaled $18 billion.
Russia's import from Iran stood at $188.9 million which accounts for 0.14 percent of the total volume of imports to Russia.
Edited by SI