Azernews.Az

By Abdul Kerimxanov

Azerbaijan, which is focused on diversifying its exports and developing non-oil sector, has turned to the markets of Baltic countries.

Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Baltic countries is developing successfully, the relations between countries are based on principles of mutual friendship and partnership.

There are wide opportunities for cooperation in various spheres of economy, including investment in ICT, tourism, pharmaceuticals, transit cargo, trade, non-oil sector, Companies from Baltic countries participate in agriculture, agro-parks and in creation of joint ventures.

At the moment, Azerbaijan intends to increase the volume of exports of fruits and vegetables to the Baltic countries, Bashir Guliyev, chairman of the Association of Producers and Exporters of Fruit and Vegetable Products of Azerbaijan, told Trend.

Guliyev believes that exports in this direction are not large yet, but they will increase by the end of 2018, and will grow further.

The chairman declared that Azerbaijan at the moment closely cooperates with Latvia, therefore, compared with the other two Baltic countries, the volume of exports to the Latvian market is much greater. He noted that the opening of the Azerbaijani trade house in Latvia has a positive effect on the sales of Azerbaijani fruits and vegetables in this region.

Today, the main sales markets of Azerbaijan remain Russia and other CIS countries, said Guliyev.

The trade turnover with Latvia in the first half of the year amounted to $15.1 million, $1.1 of which fell to the share of the export of Azerbaijani products.

Meanwhile, in January-June 2018, exports of fruits and vegetables from Azerbaijan amounted to $276.7 million, which is 27 percent more than in 2017.

In 2017, Azerbaijan exported fruit and vegetable products in the amount of about $503 million, according to the State Customs Committee

With the support of the Ministry of Economy and the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs of Azerbaijan, an Association of Azerbaijani producers and exporters of fruits and vegetables was established in August 2016.

The main goal of the association is to coordinate the activities of producers and exporters of fruits and vegetables and to expand cooperation between them. The association will help increase the production of fruits and vegetables, expand the country's export opportunities in this area.

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