Baku, September 17, 2025
Why has the price of meat in Azerbaijan risen so sharply, and will it climb further? The question has dominated public debate in recent weeks.
Analyst Parviz Heydarov, writing for Oxu.az, argues that the roots lie in the steady decline of livestock herds, rising feed costs, and policy missteps that weakened the country’s once-strong self-sufficiency.
Falling Herd Numbers
Official data show that Azerbaijan had 2.65 million head of cattle in January 2021. By July 2025 that number had dropped by 7.4 percent to 2.45 million. Small livestock fell even more sharply, from 8.09 million to 6.89 million – a 15 percent decline.
This decline, Heydarov notes, has made cattle-breeding and sheep-rearing unprofitable for rural households and farmers. “Feed is expensive, pasture lands are scarce, and it no longer pays to keep livestock,” he said.
Policy Shifts and Their Costs
A push to revive cotton production squeezed grazing lands, and support for other export-oriented crops further undermined animal husbandry.
“That was a serious strategic mistake,” Heydarov wrote. “In the pursuit of non-oil exports, balance in the agricultural sector was lost. As a result, we weakened our domestic raw material base for food production.”
Rising Imports
The gap has been filled with imports. In 2024, Azerbaijan imported 58,689 tons of meat worth $129.6 million, compared with 41,707 tons worth $86.7 million a year earlier. That is a 49 percent increase in value and a 40 percent rise in volume.
Overall food imports reached $2.47 billion in 2024, up $315 million from 2023. Global price trends added pressure: world meat prices rose 6 percent year-on-year by July 2025, pushing local costs even higher.
The Way Forward
Heydarov calls for urgent government action: tighter control over imports, protection for domestic producers, and a long-term recovery plan for livestock farming.
“Animal husbandry is not a sector that can be rebuilt overnight,” he warned. “Its restoration takes years. Without decisive measures, food security will remain at risk and meat prices will continue to rise.”
