AZE.US
Azerbaijan increased wheat imports in the first four months of 2026, a move officials and experts link to food security concerns and the country’s limited domestic production.
In January-April, Azerbaijan imported 445,337 tons of wheat, up 26,432 tons, or 6.3%, from the same period last year.
The cost of those imports also rose. Azerbaijan spent $99.6 million on wheat imports in the first four months of this year, compared with $90.5 million a year earlier. That is an increase of $9.1 million, or about 10%.
Experts say the rise reflects several pressures at once: the need to build food reserves, higher domestic demand, tensions in global markets and logistics problems caused by wars and disruptions in international transport.
Azerbaijan’s own wheat production remains one of the weak points in the food market. The country covers about 55% of its wheat needs through domestic production, a level that has not improved significantly in recent years.
President Ilham Aliyev recently drew attention to the issue during a meeting on agricultural development. He said wheat production and the self-sufficiency rate had not increased as expected, despite the creation of agro-parks and state support for the sector.
The Agriculture Ministry says expanding modern irrigation systems could help raise productivity. Experts estimate that only about 500,000 tons of local wheat output is currently used as food-grade wheat.
As a result, Azerbaijan continues to rely heavily on imports. Wheat is mainly purchased from nearby markets, especially Russia and Kazakhstan.
The higher cost of imported wheat is already affecting production expenses. Experts say transport, fuel, storage and other logistics costs have increased, and those pressures can eventually reach flour, bread and other flour-based products.
So far, the impact on bread prices has been limited. According to the report, tandoor bread is currently sold for about 1 manat (about $0.59), factory-produced bread for 65 qepiks (about $0.38) and lavash for 80 qepiks (about $0.47).
Statistics for the first four months of 2026 show that some bread and flour products rose by about 1-2%, depending on the product category. The strongest increases were seen in confectionery and packaged flour-based goods.
The price of the most widely consumed factory-produced bread remains relatively stable because it is regulated by the state. But prices for other flour products are set by the market.
That means any further rise in wheat, flour, fuel or logistics costs may gradually be passed on to consumers.
For now, Azerbaijan is not seeing a sharp jump in bread prices. But the country’s dependence on imported wheat remains a structural risk. As long as local production covers only part of national demand, flour and bread prices will remain exposed to foreign suppliers, transport costs and global grain-market volatility.
AZE.US