With Russia blocking high-volume apple exporters Poland and Moldova out of the market, growers in neighboring Azerbaijan have made the most of the opportunity.

The Azerbaijan News Network reported the Central Asian country exported 33,000 metric tons (MT) of apples to Russia in the five months following the trade embargo on EU food products, making it the third-largest shipper of the fruit to Russia after Serbia and China.

Federal Agency for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision (Rosselkhoznadzor) deputy chief Alexey Alexeyenko told Caucus region-focused news website Vestnikkavkaza.net that Azerbaijan had taken a firm position in the Russian market  and would hardly be weakened if the Russian ban were to be lifted.

Alexeyenko told the publication the new level of Russian-Azerbaijani economic cooperation had long-term prospects and logistics development would progress further, leading to earlier shipment arrivals.

Vestnik Kavkaza cited statistics from economist Oktay Akhverdiyev, who said Azerbaijan grew around 800,000-900,000MT of fruit annually, of which half the volume was made up of apples.

Akhverdiyev told the publication the domestic market consumed around 350,000MT, meaning export systematization was needed to capitalize on the remaining tonnage.

The story reported the main destinations for Azerbaijani apples in Russia were Moscow, Omsk and Sverdlovsk.

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