BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 19. Azerbaijan's food imports increased in value by 5.36 percent ($46,902 million) and amounted to $921.969 million in the first five months of 2023, Trend reports.
The State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan reveals that during the reporting period, Azerbaijan imported 17,990 tons of meat worth $33.1 million, 4,980 tons of milk worth $10.7 million, 7,480 tons of dairy products valued at $41.3 million, 179,940 tons of vegetables and fruits valued at $113.3 million and 5,370 tons of tea worth more than $28.7 million.
In addition, Azerbaijan imported more than 530,160 tons of wheat, corn and rice worth over $180.2 million, while the import of vegetable fats and oils amounted to 59,390 tons worth more than $81.8 million.
At the same time, the country increased the import of tobacco and its products by 51.03 percent compared to the first five months of 2022, up to $45.1 million.
Imports of pharmaceutical industry products grew in quantitative terms by 8.48 percent, or by more than 1,070 tons, increasing up to 13,750 tons compared to the same period in 2022, while in value terms they rose by 9.77 percent, or $25.7 million, growing up to $288.7 million.
Azerbaijan's foreign trade turnover in the first five months of 2023 increased by 11.68 percent, or $2.4 billion compared to the same period in 2022, increasing from $20.5 billion to $22.9 billion.
According to the data, exports totaled $16.1 billion, which is $697.8 million, or 4,53 percent more than the same period of the previous year. The share of exports in foreign trade turnover amounted to 70.2 percent against 75.01 percent a year earlier.
Furthermore, the country's imports in the specified period rose by $1.7 billion, or 33.16 percent, increasing from $5.1 billion to about $6.8 billion. The share of imports in foreign trade turnover reached 29.79 percent against 24.9 percent a year earlier.
As such, from January through May of this year, the balance of foreign trade turnover, remaining positive, decreased year-on-year by more than $1 billion, or by 9.78 percent and stood at $9.3 billion against $10.3 billion in the first five months of the preceding year.