In Soviet times, this figure was 20 times higher - 100 percent of demand.

In January-July of this year, Azerbaijan imported 8,732 tons of tea worth $ 36,946,000.
According to the State Customs Committee, this is USD 2,887,000 (8.4%) and 330 tons (3.9%) more than in the same period last year. In the reporting period, tea imports amounted to 0.59% of the total imports of Azerbaijan.
In Azerbaijan, tea was mainly grown in Lankaran, Astara, Masalli, Zagatala, Gakh and Balakan. Currently, almost no tea is grown in the Zagatala, Gakh and Balakan regions; plantations have been destroyed and various gardens have been planted. However, since the tea grown in the Zagatala region is of better quality than the world famous Ceylon River grown on the slopes of Darchilinka in Shir Lanka, during Soviet times, tea in this region was intended only for export.
At present, the cultivation of tea in the agriculture of Azerbaijan has lost its weight. Compared to Soviet times, tea plantations have shrunk 20 times, to about 2,000 hectares. More than 10 thousand tons of tea are consumed in Azerbaijan annually. Only 5 percent, that is, 500 tons, is produced in the country.
However, Azerbaijan has the potential to produce as much tea as it can meet local demand, as demonstrated during the Soviet era. Due to the fact that domestic production is not weakening, 40-50 million US dollars are withdrawn from the country annually for the import of tea. But if you allocate $ 1 million a year to expand tea plantations, you can plant 100 hectares of tea plantations a year. Within 2-3 years, these plantations can produce crops at full capacity.
According to experts, planting and cultivating 1 hectare of tea plantations requires more than 30,000 manats.

Akif Nasirli