In the first 10 months of this year, Azerbaijan exported 54 thousand 634.6 tons of cotton fiber worth 98 million 461.5 thousand dollars to foreign countries.
Yeniavaz.com reports citing published official data, cotton fiber exports in value terms decreased by 36%, or $55.4 million, compared to the same period last year.
Thus, in the first 10 months of last year, Azerbaijan exported 66 thousand 112.8 tons of cotton fiber worth 153 million 834.5 thousand dollars to foreign countries.
For information, the cotton harvest in Azerbaijan has sharply decreased. Over the nine months of this year, 14.3 thousand tons of cotton were harvested from 16 thousand hectares in Azerbaijan. During the same period last year, 38.8 thousand tons of cotton were harvested from 34.5 thousand hectares. Over the past year, the yield per hectare has decreased from 11.2 centners to 8.9 centners.
It should also be noted that in 2017, the President of Azerbaijan signed a Decree approving the “State Program for the Development of Cotton Growing in the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2017-2022” .
Clause 6.3 of the State Program states that as a result of the implementation of the State Program, the production of raw cotton in 2022 will be 500 thousand tons.
However, in 2022, when the implementation of the State Program was completed, a total of 321.8 thousand tons of cotton were harvested in Azerbaijan. Due to the decrease in yield this year, it can be assumed that the harvest at the end of the year will be less than last year.
Elnur Ali