The November 2020 issue of the “Export Review” published by the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication (CAERC) has been presented. During the first ten months of 2020, Azerbaijan exported goods worth USD 12.2 billion, including USD 1.4 billion from the non-oil sector.

In January–October of this year, non-oil sector exports amounted to USD 550.6 million to Russia, USD 285.5 million to Turkey, USD 176 million to Switzerland, USD 109.1 million to Georgia, and USD 34.7 million to China.

In the January–October 2020 period, tomatoes ranked first among non-oil exports with USD 173 million, followed by gold (non-monetary, unwrought or in other unprocessed forms) with USD 158.7 million, and cotton lint with USD 94.7 million.

Over the ten months of 2020, exports totaled USD 467.3 million for fruits and vegetables, USD 95.8 million for cotton fiber, USD 86.7 million for aluminum and aluminum products, USD 70 million for chemical industry products, USD 42.9 million for ferrous metals and products made thereof, USD 13.6 million for cotton yarn, USD 9.7 million for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, USD 16.8 million for sugar, USD 19.2 million for vegetable and animal fats and oils, and USD 7.7 million for tea.

In October 2020, non-oil exports amounted to USD 162.8 million. During the same month, food products accounted for 48.8 percent of non-oil exports, while non-food products accounted for 51.2 percent.

In October, the largest volumes of non-oil and non-gas exports were made to Russia (USD 64.7 million), Turkey (USD 33.5 million), Switzerland (USD 10.7 million), Georgia (USD 9.5 million), and the United States (USD 5.4 million).

In terms of non-oil exports in October 2020, persimmons ranked first with USD 19.7 million, shelled hazelnuts second with USD 17 million, and other fresh fruits third with USD 13.6 million.

The November issue of the “Export Review” also presents a ranking of leading non-oil exporting companies. According to the ranking of private-sector exporters for January–October of this year, the top ten include: SOCAR Polymer LLC, the Representation of Azerbaijan International Mining Company Limited in the Republic of Azerbaijan, Land Logistic LLC, MKT Production and Commercial LLC, Sun Food LLC, Global Trade Group LLC, Fruit Store LLC, Baku Steel Company, Agrovest LLC, and Fruit City Group LLC.

The list of state-owned companies involved in non-oil export operations is led by the Marketing and Economic Operations Department of the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Other companies on the list include AzerGold CJSC, Azeraluminium LLC, Azerenergy OJSC, Azerpambiq Agrarian Industrial Complex LLC, Azerbaijan Airlines CJSC, Azertobacco Agrarian Industrial Complex LLC, Azerbaijan Thermal Power Plant LLC, the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic State Energy Service, and Caspian Drilling Company Limited LLC.

The “Export Review” also covers services exports. In January–October 2020, Azercosmos OJSC exported services worth USD 37.8 million (satellite telecommunications services and optical satellite services) to 30 countries worldwide. Revenues from services exports accounted for 90 percent of Azercosmos OJSC’s total revenues.

In October 2020 alone, Azercosmos OJSC exported services worth USD 6.9 million to 21 countries. The main countries to which services were exported during January–October 2020 were France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates.

The “Export Review” notes that the situation caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, as in other countries, has not left Azerbaijan’s tourism sector unaffected. According to the State Border Service, 720.3 thousand foreigners and stateless persons from 155 countries visited Azerbaijan in January–October 2020, which is 3.7 times fewer than in the same period of the previous year. The temporary restrictions introduced to prevent the spread of coronavirus led to a sharp decline in arrivals during April–October, and travel was mainly undertaken for non-tourism purposes.

In October 2020, transactions carried out in Azerbaijan using foreign citizens’ bank cards amounted to AZN 24.9 million. In January–October 2020, foreigners conducted transactions worth AZN 379.1 million via bank cards.

The “Export Review” also provides information on export orders received through the Azexport.az portal in January–October 2020. During this period, export orders worth USD 512.2 million were received via the portal, representing a 7.3 percent increase in value compared to the same period of the previous year.

In October 2020, the value of export orders received through the portal amounted to USD 49.8 million, an increase of 21.5 percent compared to the same month of the previous year. In October, the most frequent export orders via Azexport.az were for poultry meat and eggs, cottonseed oil, hazelnuts, tobacco, tea, sunflower oil, apples, wine, confectionery products, ketchup, pomegranates, pears, cosmetics, engine oil, honey, paint, saffron, medicinal leeches, and other goods. From January 2017 to 31 October 2020 (46 months), export orders received via the Azexport.az portal from 142 countries totaled USD 2.9 billion.

The “Export Review” also reports that in November this year, non-oil exports carried out through the “One-Stop Shop” Export Support Center amounted to USD 16.7 million. During January–October 2020, hundreds of entrepreneurs were provided with relevant export certificates through the “One-Stop Shop” Export Support Center, resulting in non-oil exports worth USD 165.3 million.

The “Export Review” is available in the “Reviews” section of the iqtisadiislahat.org website.