Azerbaijan’s banana import costs rise 11% in Q1 despite lower volumes

Azerbaijan increased its spending on banana imports in the first quarter of 2025 despite a decline in total volume, official data showed on Monday.

According to the State Statistics Committee, Azerbaijan imported 16,845 tonnes of bananas worth $15.22 million from January through March. While the volume decreased by 614 tonnes compared to the same period a year earlier, the total value rose by 11%, or $1.5 million.

Ecuador remained the dominant supplier, accounting for 98.4% of total banana imports, or 16,581 tonnes worth $14.94 million. Smaller volumes were imported from Costa Rica, Egypt, the Philippines, China, Thailand, Colombia and Germany.

The sharp increase in value suggests a rise in average banana prices or higher logistics costs despite stable or falling quantities.

N.Tebrizli