AZE.US
Tomatoes are being sold by farmers in Azerbaijan’s regions for as little as 20-30 gapiks per kilogram, while prices on Baku markets reach 1.5-2 manats.
The sharp gap between farmgate and retail prices has frustrated both producers and consumers. Buyers in the capital say tomatoes were cheaper last year and complain that good-quality produce now often costs close to 2 manats per kilogram.
Vendors say the price rises before the product reaches the market stall. According to sellers, tomatoes are brought mainly from Shamkir and Sabirabad, with transport, crates, sorting, loading and other costs added along the way.
Some traders say their own margin is small, but consumers argue that the final price remains too high compared with what farmers receive in the regions.
Farmers, meanwhile, say prices have collapsed over the past week. In several regions, tomatoes are now being sold for 20-50 gapiks per kilogram. Producers link the decline to weaker shipments to the Russian market and a large supply of produce.
They say hot weather and delays in sending goods abroad have made it harder to move tomatoes quickly. As a result, more produce remains on the local market, pushing prices down.
Farmers also note that the tomatoes currently on sale are mostly greenhouse-grown. In the coming days, open-field tomatoes are expected to enter the market, which could put additional pressure on prices in the regions.
For now, however, that drop has not fully reached Baku consumers. The difference between the price paid to farmers and the price seen on market shelves remains the main source of public frustration.
AZE.US