Azerbaijani hazelnuts to be exported to UAE

By Azernews

By Leman Mammadova

Azerbaijan will soon export hazelnuts to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Ministry of Economy told AZERTAC that Azerbaijan Export & Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) organized the next export missions to the Gulf countries, to Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, the capital of UAE and to the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyad.

Export missions to promote Made in Azerbaijan brand, to introduce Azerbaijani products to the Gulf countries, include 29 Azerbaijani companies operating in the fields of export missions, furniture, plastic pipes and fittings, tourism, textile, pomegranate juice, hazelnuts, canned goods, tea, mineral water and etc.

During the meeting with the representatives of Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry within the framework of export mission to the United Arab Emirates, discussions were held on the expansion of export opportunities and the development of economic cooperation between the entrepreneurs of the two countries.

In addition, the Azerbaijani entrepreneurs familiarized themselves with the activities of the international Free Economic Zone, Sharjah Coop and Abu Dhabi Coop supermarkets in Sharjah Airport. Representatives of foreign companies were informed about the Azerbaijani products and exchanged views on the increase of exports. The local products presented at the meetings were met with great interest by foreign companies.

Thus, Azerbaijani company "Khan-El" operating in Zagatala and the "Haghanyat General Trading" of the UAE signed an agreement on the export of hazelnut products. According to the contract, the company will start exporting Azerbaijani hazelnuts to the UAE in the near future.

The mission members got acquainted with the process of creating "Azerbaijan Trade House" in Dubai.

Azerbaijan is known as one of the few countries in the world enjoying favorable climate conditions suitable for hazelnut growing.

The hazelnut, especially in the northern regions of the country, fully rippens by the end of July and the harvesting process lasts from mid-August to mid-September. Hazelnut growing is the main source of income for the population in the northwestern regions of Azerbaijan. It is also mainly a family business in Balakan, Zagatala, Gakh, Gabala, Khachmaz, and Shabran regions.

Today, Azerbaijan has become the world’s third largest hazelnut producer and exporter. As many as 20,850 tons of hazelnut were exported in 2017. The main markets for the Azerbaijani hazelnut are Italy, Russia and Germany.

Several varieties of hazelnuts, such as Atababa, Ashrafli, Ghalib, Ganja, Sachagly, Topgara and Yagly, are cultivated in Azerbaijan. Many of the country's hazelnut orchards are situated in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains in the regions of Gakh, Zagatala and Balakan.

Azerbaijan is trying to expand its export routes and enter new markets.

At exhibitions in Dubai (Gulfood 2017) and Germany (Prowein), where Azerbaijani companies took part in a single stand, orders for exporting hazelnuts to Spain were received.

In 2019, Zagatala nuts processing plant plans to export products to the Swiss market. During the Azerbaijani export mission’s visit to Switzerland preliminary agreements on hazelnut export were reached with Switzerland's GN-company, Varistor and Delica and other influential companies. In the course of the mission, Switzerland agreed to import 220 tons of hazelnuts worth $ 125,000. The total volume of hazelnut export from Azerbaijan to Switzerland was 22 tons in 2017.

In 2016, Ferrero, the world’s largest buyer of hazelnuts, has started purchasing large quantities of Azerbaijan’s hazelnuts. Last year Azerbaijan produced 45,500 tons of hazelnut, which was 32.9 percent more than in 2016. The country exported hazelnuts worth over $100 million in 2017.

The export missions of Azerbaijan continue to expand with the aim of promoting country's non-oil products abroad.

As many as 25 export missions are expected to be organized in 2019. Local entrepreneurs will participate in major trade fair in Russia, UAE and Germany in February. The new market at which Azerbaijan aims is South Korea, Azerbaijan will be participating in the food fair there in May 2019.

The export of non-oil products will stimulate the expansion of the Azerbaijani products and will further strengthen the non-oil sector's share in the structure of the GDP.

Development of the non-oil sector mainly depends on the export of non-oil products and the main goal is to expand access to new markets, besides traditional markets.