Car production soars

By Azernews

By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade

The production of cars, tractors and other vehicles is increasing every year in Azerbaijan. In the first half of 2019, production of machinery and equipment, cars, trailers, semi-trailers, and other vehicles amounted to 129.1 million manats ($75.94 million)

Compared to the same period of the last year, the production of cars, trailers and semi-trailers recorded an 83.6 percent growth, while the production of machinery and equipment increased by 10 percent, and of other vehicles - by 1.8 percent.

During the first half of 2019, 747 tractors and 1,112 passenger cars were produced.

The production of tractors saw a decrease of 11 percent. As of July 1, there are 264 tractors in the warehouses of the country.

There are currently three car manufacturing plants in Azerbaijan: Khazar plant in Neftchala, Ganja Automobile Plant and a plant in Nakhchivan.

Khazar plant, which has been operating since March, produced over 1,600 cars and there is a plan to produce 3,000 cars in 2019.

The country’s Ganja Automobile Plant is manufacturing trucks of Belarusian and Russian companies. Ganja Automobile Plant is the largest assembly plant of Belarusian tractors outside the Eurasian Economic Union.

In addition, another plant opened in Nakhchivan in 2010 assembles eight models of Lifan passenger cars designed by China’s Lifan Group, which provides all the necessary spare parts for cars to the plant, so they may be assembled in Azerbaijan under the direct supervision of Chinese automotive specialists.

Azerbaijan is taking further steps for developing its own automobile manufacturing market to increase the local production and decrease import dependence.

According to the Market Analysis Azerbaijan 2019, production in the automotive industry of Azerbaijan will reach $20 million this year and $70 million by 2022.