AZE.US
Bread prices could come under renewed pressure in Azerbaijan, according to agricultural expert Vahid Maharramov, who says the country still relies heavily on imported food wheat and remains exposed to price shocks abroad. His comments were published by Demokrat.az on April 6.
Maharramov said Azerbaijan covers about 95% of its food-wheat needs through imports and brings in roughly 1.3 million to 1.5 million tons a year, mainly from Russia and, more recently, Kazakhstan.
He argued that wheat prices are likely to rise this year because of higher producer costs, tighter fertilizer supply, and broader strains affecting agricultural inputs worldwide.
He also said Azerbaijan cannot fully supply itself with food wheat from domestic production. According to the same report, the country produces about 1.6 million tons of wheat overall, but only a small share is suitable for bread and other food use, leaving the market structurally dependent on imports.
That matters because even relatively small price moves on the global market can quickly be felt inside Azerbaijan. Maharramov said a 1% increase in world wheat prices can translate into a much sharper rise locally, which he linked to import dependence and the structure of the domestic supply chain.
The broader import picture supports the idea that Azerbaijan remains exposed. A late-2025 FAO country brief said wheat import requirements in the 2025/26 season were still expected, while Reuters-reported figures cited by trade outlets in December 2025 said only about 20% of the country’s total food-wheat demand was then being covered by domestic food-grade production.
That does not mean a bread price increase has already been announced. At this stage, the story is an expert warning about vulnerability in the grain market, not a confirmed government decision or an officially declared price change.