Business
Azerbaijan's Non-Oil Exports Climb 17.6% to $2.81 Billion in Eight Months
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Azerbaijan's non-oil exports, excluding non-monetary gold, rose 17.6% in January-August 2026 compared with the same period of 2025, reaching $2.81 billion, according to data reported by Trend.
In August alone, non-oil exports grew 13% year on year to $350.8 million, showing that growth continued at a slower pace than the eight-month average.
What is driving growth
Several categories posted sharp gains. Sugar exports tripled, cotton yarn rose 62.2% and aluminium products climbed 42.8%. Agricultural and agro-industrial exports combined increased 19.9% to $987.8 million.
The three largest individual export items were gold at $271.2 million, copper ores and concentrates at $183.7 million, and tomatoes at $172.2 million.
Top destinations
- Russia: $814.2 million
- Türkiye: $435 million
- Georgia: $386.5 million
- Switzerland: $284.4 million
- Ukraine: $101.1 million
Russia alone accounts for roughly 29% of the eight-month non-oil total, a concentration that exporters will want to watch given regional volatility.
The bigger picture
The export gains arrive as the Asian Development Bank trims Azerbaijan's 2026 growth forecast to 1.6% on a contraction in oil output. With energy making up about 87% of 2024 exports, non-oil trade of $2.81 billion remains small, but its double-digit growth is the clearest sign yet that the diversification agenda is producing measurable results in agriculture, metals and light industry.
Official export reviews from Azerbaijan's economic reforms office, which track preliminary monthly figures, indicate the trend has held through the summer months. For businesses, the practical implication is a widening base of non-oil products with established buyers in Türkiye, Georgia and Switzerland, alongside the traditional Russian market.
Source: Trend; Azerbaijan Economic Reforms Office Export Review.
