AZE.US
Azerbaijan’s strawberry season is gaining pace, but prices remain uneven between farms and city markets.
Farmers in Lankaran, Sabirabad and other production areas say the harvest is continuing, although changing weather and rainfall have affected yields. There is no major shortage on the market, but the supply has not been strong enough to push prices sharply lower everywhere.
In production areas, strawberries are currently sold for about 2 to 2.5 manats per kilogram, or roughly $1.20 to $1.50. Farmers say the berries are usually picked every two days because they need to fully ripen before being sent to markets.
In Sabirabad’s Hashimkhanli village, local strawberry varieties are known for their sweetness and taste. They do not have a long shelf life, so most of the crop is quickly sent to domestic markets.
One farmer said he planted about 30 sotkas this year. He described the harvest as generally good, although rain lowered expectations. In some production areas, strawberries are being sold for 3.5 to 4 manats per kilogram, or about $2.10 to $2.35.
In Baku markets, the price range is much wider. Strawberries are sold from about 2 manats per kilogram to as much as 10 manats, or roughly $1.20 to $5.90.
Sellers say the difference depends on variety, size and origin. Cheaper strawberries usually come from local production areas such as Jalilabad, Lankaran and Sabirabad. More expensive varieties, including Victoria and imported Egyptian strawberries, can sell for 8 to 10 manats per kilogram.
Compared with last year, sellers say strawberries are about 1 manat more expensive on average. But they expect prices to fall by about 1 manat over the next 10 to 15 days if weather conditions remain favorable and supply increases.
For buyers, the price tag does not always tell the whole story. Smaller local strawberries may be much cheaper than larger imported varieties, but they can often be stronger in taste – which is why many customers still choose them despite the shorter shelf life.
AZE.US