By Azernews

By Ofeliya Afandiyeva

The volume of Azerbaijan’s exports increased by 5.2 percent year-on-year to $16,8 billion in January-October period, the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication reported on November 28 in its Export Review.

Moreover, in October of the current year, exports in the non-oil sector amounted to $160 million, which is $16 million or 11 percent more compared to October 2018.

Russia occupied the 1st place ($533,9 million) for the value of non-oil products exported in the first ten months of 2019, followed by Turkey ($324,6 million), Switzerland  ($147,7 million), Georgia  ($131,5  million) and Ukraine ($39,8 million) follows the export list respectively.

By comparison, in January-October 2019, the share of non-oil exports to Russia increased by 14 percent, to Turkey - by 10 percent, to Switzerland – by 29 percent, to Georgia - by 23 percent, and to Ukraine - in 38 percent than the relevant period in 2018.

During January-October in 2019, the list of exported products of the non-oil sector are as followed: tomatoes - $147,6 million, gold (not used in coin cutting, but in other unprocessed forms) - $142,1 million and peeled hazelnuts - $100,1 million.

In total, exports of fruits and vegetables amounted to $455,5 million, plastics and products made from it – $161,2 million, aluminum and products made from it  – $106,9 million, cotton fiber – $91,8 million, chemical industry products – $86,6 million, electricity – $62,9 million, ferrous metals and products made from them – $50,9 million, sugar – $24,2 million, cotton yarn – $24,5 million, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages – $21,4 million.

During the period of January-October in 2019, exports of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 62 percent, plastics and products made from it - by 56 percent, cotton yarn - by 42 percent, chemical industry products - by 36 percent, cotton thread - by 28 percent, fruits and vegetables - 12 percent, sugar - by 10 percent, and electricity – by 6 percent in comparison with the first ten months of 2018.

In October 2019, the leading products in export of non-oil sector were dates (27,1 million), gold (not used in coin cutting, but in other unprocessed forms) - $21,4 million and peeled hazelnuts - $10,7 million.

The Review also presents a rating of the main exporting enterprises of non-oil sector for the first ten months of 2019. The following ten entities are in the top 10: representation of Azerbaijan International Mining Company Limited in the Republic of Azerbaijan, LLC Socar Polymer, LLC MKT Production Commerce, LLC Nine Climate, LLC Global Export Fruits, LLC Sun Food, LLC Baku Steel Company, LLC Azerbaijan Sugar Production Association, LLC Caspian-energy 2020, and RAM International Transport and Trade.

The list of the state-owned companies involved in export operations in the non-oil sector is headed by the “Department of Marketing and Economic Operations” of SOCAR. The following are the other companies included in the list: Azeraluminum LLC, Azergold CJSC, Azerenergy OJSC, Azerbaijan Airlines CJSC, Azercotton Agrarian-Industrial Complex LLC, CTS-Agro LLC, Agro-Industrial Complex Azertutun, PU Azerchemistry and Baku Oil Engineering Plant.

The purpose of the Export Review is to educate entrepreneurs on exports, to increase chances of exporting domestic goods to traditional and new markets, and to accelerate integration into international markets.

Note that the Export Review has been published monthly since 2017 by the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication.