AZE.US
Prices for watermelons and melons have risen noticeably across Azerbaijan, surprising shoppers during the peak of the summer season.
Melons are currently selling for 1.50 to 1.80 manats per kilogram, approximately $0.88 to $1.06, while watermelon prices range from 0.70 manat to 1 manat per kilogram, or about $0.41 to $0.59.
The prices are higher than during the same period last year, despite July traditionally being the time when locally grown melons and watermelons become more widely available.
Economist Natig Jafarli told Globalinfo.az that three main factors were driving the increase.
The first is unstable weather, which has affected crop yields across the agricultural sector. Lower production has reduced supplies reaching markets and pushed prices higher.
The second factor is agricultural exports. Azerbaijan has been encouraging farmers and producers to sell more products abroad in order to generate foreign currency revenue.
“The more agricultural products are exported, the less remains on the domestic market. This naturally affects prices,” Jafarli said.
The third reason is the increase in farmers’ own expenses. Producers are also consumers and face higher prices for food, fuel, equipment, utilities and other essential goods.
According to Jafarli, farmers are trying to compensate for these growing costs by charging more for the fruit and vegetables they produce.
The current prices therefore reflect a combination of weaker harvests, higher exports and rising production costs, making two of Azerbaijan’s most popular summer products more expensive even at the height of the season.
AZE.US