Azerbaijan imported 1.045 million tonnes of wheat worth $224 million in January-September 2026. Volume rose 18.9% and value 18.8% year on year. Calculations using the 2026 customs data and the comparable 2025 report show that the larger bill closely tracks the increase in the quantity purchased.
Average value per tonne barely changed
Dividing total customs value by volume gives approximately $214.42 per tonne, against $214.62 a year earlier, a difference of about 0.1%. This is an average import unit value, not a market quotation for a single wheat grade. It reflects quality, contracts and shipment composition, but helps distinguish changes in aggregate volume from changes in average unit value.
| Indicator | Jan-Sep 2025 | Jan-Sep 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Volume, thousand tonnes | 878.7 | 1044.8 |
| Value, $m | 188.58 | 224.03 |
| Average value, $/tonne | 214.62 | 214.42 |
An additional 166,000 tonnes
Imports amounted to 878,700 tonnes in January-September 2025. Volume subsequently increased by around 166,200 tonnes, while spending rose by $35.45 million. The main change in this product category is therefore the scale of purchases rather than a substantial increase in average value per tonne.
Implications for flour producers
A stable average import value helps assess the external component of the raw-material bill. It does not capture the full cost of flour. Delivery, storage, energy, mill utilisation and processing yields also matter. Customs figures therefore cannot directly determine the future price of bread.
What higher imports do not explain
More imports alone do not prove a domestic harvest shortfall. Inventory changes, processing requirements and contract timing can also affect shipments. Assessing dependence on foreign supplies requires domestic production, grain quality and consumption balances alongside customs data. The verified finding is narrower: Azerbaijan purchased substantially more wheat at an almost unchanged average unit value.