AZE.US
Azerbaijan imports 76% of its food products – a figure that former Finance Minister Fikret Yusifov described as “a shame” during an appearance on Musavat TV.
“What does this mean?” Yusifov said.
“We are a country located in nine out of eleven climate zones. We are told we are fortunate in terms of natural conditions. And yet we import 76% of our food. This is a shame for us. I cannot find another word.”
According to him, shifts in agricultural policy over recent years have contributed to the problem. While grain cultivation areas expanded by approximately 6-8%, pasture lands declined, leading to a significant reduction in livestock. He stated that the number of small ruminants fell by around 1.8 million head and large cattle by nearly 300,000.
“We are importing meat from Somalia and Mongolia. We are a meat-producing country. We are a grain-producing country,” he said.
Yusifov argued that the root causes must be examined and policy approaches reassessed. Comparing the situation to a private business, he noted that when a strategy fails, losses must be acknowledged and corrected rather than ignored.
He also referenced the large-scale state investments made under regional socio-economic development programs, emphasizing that infrastructure – including roads, electricity, gas and water — has been built across the country.
“The environment has been created. But production must take place within that environment,” he said.
According to Yusifov, isolated showcase enterprises are not sufficient. Sustainable development requires broad-based growth in small and medium-sized businesses, which he described as the backbone of any functioning economy.
Addressing employment, he recalled that during the pandemic approximately 600,000 people applied for state assistance despite official unemployment figures of around 5%, suggesting a disconnect between statistics and economic reality.
At the same time, he stressed that Azerbaijan possesses significant financial capacity, citing roughly $80 billion in foreign currency reserves.
“We have strong potential,” he said, arguing that the focus must shift toward enabling domestic production and strengthening the private sector.
His remarks have renewed debate about food security, agricultural policy and economic diversification in Azerbaijan.