BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 16. The total value of Azerbaijani food imports increased in January 2023, Trend reports citing the bulletin of the State Customs Committee.
According to the committee, this figure amounted to $169.7 million, up by $19.9 million (13.28 percent) over the year.
In January this year, Azerbaijan imported 2,690 tons of meat worth $4.8 million, 925 tons of milk ($2.2 million), 920 tons of dairy products ($5.78 million), 27,620 tons of fruit and vegetables ($19.8 million), and 1,100 tons of tea (more than $5.94 million).
In the reporting month, the country also imported more than 161,890 tons of wheat, barley, corn, and rice worth over $54.2 million.
Meanwhile, the import of vegetable fats and oils amounted to 8,780 tons worth more than $13 million.
At the same time, the import value of tobacco and tobacco products by 163.72 percent on annual basis – up to $13.8 million.
Besides, in January 2023, the import volume of pharmaceutical industry products decreased by 308 tons (12.63 percent) - up to 2,130 tons compared to the same month in 2021, and its value - by $24.6 million (52.58 percent) - up to $71.39 million.
Azerbaijan's foreign trade turnover decreased by 19 percent, or $772 million, in January 2023 compared to the same month in 2022, from $4.06 billion to $3.28 billion.
In the structure of foreign trade turnover, exports accounted for $1.87 billion, which is $1.2 billion, or 1.64 times less than in the same month of 2022. The share of exports in foreign trade turnover was 57.06 percent, against 76 percent a year earlier.
Azerbaijan's imports in the reporting month increased by $437.83 million, or 44.9 percent on an annual basis, from $974.86 million to over $1.4 billion. The share of imports in foreign trade turnover amounted to 42.94 percent, against 24 percent a year earlier.
As a result, during the reporting month, the balance of foreign trade turnover, while remaining positive, decreased year-on-year by more than $1.6 billion, or 3.5 times, to $464 million against $2.1 billion in January 2022.