September 10, 2025
Despite living along the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijanis consume remarkably little fish. Prices on local markets are so high that a kilogram of fish now costs as much as meat — and sometimes even more.
According to an independent study by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), per capita fish consumption in Azerbaijan is just over 2 kilograms a year. By comparison, the average across developing countries is around 21 kilograms.
“This figure shows how dire the situation has become in our market,” said Zaur Salmanli, head of the Association of Fish Producers and Processors, in comments to Minval.
Stocks in the Caspian are shrinking every year, while domestic production cannot meet demand. As a result, most seafood on sale in Azerbaijan is imported.
A Center for Fisheries and Aquaculture was established last year under the Ministry of Agriculture, but Salmanli said the impact has yet to be felt.
“Yes, this is a positive step, but the market remains in a difficult state. Over the past five to six years, local fish production has sharply declined. Only sturgeon farming has shown resilience, while carp, trout, and cold-water fish are in steep decline,” he noted.
The gap has been filled almost entirely by imports. “Today, about **80% of fish and seafood in our market is imported. This clearly shows the serious problems in aquaculture,” Salmanli said, adding that prices are unlikely to fall in the next three years as the new center is still taking shape.
Experts argue that developing domestic production requires a clear state policy. Azerbaijan has strong potential for carp and other herbivorous fish, yet these are still imported from Russia and Iran. In Iran, fish farming enjoys generous state support, including tax exemptions and subsidies for trout producers. By contrast, duty-free imports of Iranian trout in recent years have nearly destroyed Azerbaijan’s own trout farms, making local production unprofitable.
As for consumer preferences, Salmanli said Azerbaijani tastes mirror global trends: boneless fish is increasingly in demand, and imports of crustaceans and mollusks have surged. Nearly 90% of shellfish sold in the country is imported.
