Recent reforms in Azerbaijan's agriculture, including export support, agro-park development, and the implementation of the Food Security Law, have strengthened quality standards and created favourable conditions for expanding exports. According to the State Customs Committee, from January to July 2025, the country exported 490,600 tons of fruits and vegetables worth $506.4 million, up 33% in volume and 32% in value compared to the same period last year.
Fresh produce remains at the heart of Azerbaijan's agricultural exports. Fruits, vegetables, melons, and grapes dominate the product mix, with steady growth in recent months: fruit and berry production increased by 5.1%, grapes by 2%, and potatoes by 2.1% in the first seven months of 2025.
Over the past decade, the country has boosted productivity through nearly 50 agro-parks, large grain, greenhouse, and orchard farms. Many clusters combine production with processing and packaging. Around 80% of exports now come from these large farms and facilities, while smaller household farms still struggle to enter international supply chains. Investments in modern irrigation are expanding irrigated farmland from 50,000 to 200,000 hectares, and the 2024 state budget allocated 1.2 billion manat (€655 million) to agriculture, 25.8% more than the previous year.
Market diversification is also a priority. Traditionally reliant on post-Soviet markets, Azerbaijan has expanded exports to the Middle East, North Africa, China, and Europe. The export promotion agency AZPROMO actively supports this shift by helping producers with international certification, branding under Made in Azerbaijan, and participation in global trade fairs.
Still, challenges remain. Small farms face limited access to financing and modern technology, which keeps production costs high and competitiveness lower compared to regional players such as Turkey and Iran. For now, about three-quarters of exports are fresh produce, with processed and packaged products representing a smaller share.
Source: caliber.az