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Akbar Novruz

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In a global economy that increasingly prizes diversity and resilience, Azerbaijan is quietly offering a compelling example of what it means to grow beyond oil. With every passing quarter, the country’s export portfolio tells a broader story—one where agricultural know-how, chemical innovation, and industrial capability come together to reflect a deeper shift: the rise of a new Azerbaijani economy.

Between January and April 2025, Azerbaijan’s non-oil exports have continued to expand across key sectors, with data from the Center for Economic Reforms Analysis and Communication painting a clear picture. Most notably, exports of chemical industry products rose by an impressive $35 million, a 42.5 percent year-on-year increase. Sugar exports climbed by nearly 26 percent, while iron and steel products grew by 16.7 percent. Agricultural goods, a historic backbone of Azerbaijan’s rural life, showed renewed strength: fruit and vegetable exports surged by almost 15 percent, and cotton yarn—often overlooked in economic narratives—registered a modest but meaningful rise of 5.3 percent.

These aren’t just numbers; they are signals. They represent orchards tended in Ganja, looms spinning in Mingachevir, and factories operating in Sumgait. Each dollar in export revenue reflects a local worker, an entrepreneur, or a farmer finding a place in an increasingly globalized market.

Perhaps most illustrative of this new reality is the performance of agro-industrial exports. In the first four months of the year, exports of agricultural products rose by 14 percent to $232.7 million, while agro-industrial goods grew by nearly 8 percent, reaching $90.8 million. Together, these sectors brought in $323.6 million—an overall growth of 12.2 percent. Behind those figures lies a vast and dynamic ecosystem of cultivation, processing, packaging, and trade that is steadily being integrated into international supply chains.

Of course, some items still take the spotlight. Gold remains Azerbaijan’s top non-oil export, bringing in $95.4 million so far this year and topping April’s monthly export chart at $30.2 million. But look just below the surface, and the story broadens. Tomatoes, an iconic export from the greenhouses of Sabirabad and Shamkir, earned $74.7 million between January and April and nearly tied gold in April with $30.16 million. Cotton, too, made a strong showing, reaching $22.1 million in April and placing third in the monthly ranking.

It is worth pausing on these rankings—not for what they say about global commodity demand, but for what they suggest about Azerbaijan’s internal transformation. Diversifying exports isn't only a matter of economic strategy; it’s a declaration of long-term intent. For a country long reliant on oil revenues, developing a robust, multifaceted export base is not a side project. It’s a national priority.

And the composition of that base is increasingly sophisticated. The growth in aluminum exports (up nearly 10 percent), combined with rising volumes in sugar and chemicals, signals that Azerbaijan is not only producing raw materials but also exporting value-added goods—evidence of an economy in motion.

In a world where many nations are still grappling with the fallout of disrupted supply chains, Azerbaijan’s export momentum feels all the more significant. It speaks to institutional coordination, public-private partnerships, and a grounded but ambitious vision of national development.

The future of Azerbaijan’s economy is not being written in the abstract. It is unfolding, crop by crop, shipment by shipment, ton by ton. And if the first four months of 2025 are any indication, the country is increasingly exporting more than products. It is exporting confidence.