15:17 - 28.01.2025

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January 28, Fineko/abc.az. Roughly 80% of the domestic demand for fish in Azerbaijan is met through imports. Azerbaijani fish producers are experiencing difficulties in the face of fierce competition with imported goods, which generally hinders the development of the industry in the country, ABC.AZ reports, quoting Zaur Salmanli, chairman of board of the Association of Fish Producers & Exporters of Azerbaijan.

He added that local producers cannot compete with foreign, primarily Iranian enterprises.

Salmanli stressed that benefits and preferences from the state are needed to stimulate the domestic fisheries sector. He pointed out that one of the support measures could be the introduction of a 15% customs duty on the import of fresh frozen fish.

"Azerbaijan currently imports fish from Iran. The development of fisheries in Iran is carried out entirely at the expense of local production, they have enterprises for the production of fish feed, which reduces the cost of production. In Azerbaijan, there is only one enterprise producing feed. We import feed, which increases our production costs," he said.

In addition, Salmanli proposed to exempt fish farms from income tax.

"This industry is considered agricultural. The agricultural sector is exempt from taxes, and we hope that our sector will be completely exempt from them," Salmanli added.