BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 20. The total value of Azerbaijani food imports increased from January through February 2023, Trend reports citing the bulletin of the State Customs Committee.
According to the committee, this figure amounted to $360.36 million, up by $22.6 million (6.69 percent) over the year.
In the first two months of this year, Azerbaijan imported 7,320 tons of meat worth $11.9 million, 1,890 tons of milk ($4.2 million), 1,760 tons of dairy products ($10.39 million), 70,870 tons of fruits and vegetables ($46.9 million), and 1,120 tons of tea (more than $10.29 million).
The country also imported more than 301,820 tons of wheat, barley, corn, and rice worth over $101.2 million in the reporting period.
Meanwhile, the import of vegetable fats and oils amounted to 15,710 tons worth more than $23 million.
At the same time, the import value of tobacco and tobacco products by 64.39 percent on annual basis – up to $17.8 million.
Besides, from January through February 2023, the import volume of pharmaceutical industry products increased by 1,270 tons (27.08 percent) - up to 5,970 tons compared to the same period in 2022, and its value - by $28.77 million (24.07 percent) - up to $148.27 million.
Overall, foreign trade turnover of Azerbaijan amounted to $7.17 billion in the first two months of 2023, which is a decrease of 9.7 percent or $768.8 million compared to the same period of 2022 ($7.94 billion).
Out of the total foreign trade turnover, exports accounted for $4.52 billion, which is $1.4 billion, or 24.25 percent less than the same period last year. The share of exports in the foreign trade turnover totaled 63.03 percent against 75.16 percent a year earlier.
Azerbaijan's imports from January through February 2023 increased by $678.5 million, or 34.4 percent, from $1.9 billion to about $2.6 billion. The share of imports in foreign trade turnover amounted to 36.97 percent against 24.84 percent a year earlier.
As a result, in the reporting period, the balance of foreign trade turnover, remaining positive, decreased by more than $2.1 billion, or 2.1 times on an annual basis, to $1.8 billion against $3.9 billion in the same period of the previous year.