The area of tea plantations in Azerbaijan has decreased by 18 percent. While tea areas totaled 1,100 hectares in 2019, that figure dropped to 900 hectares in 2024.
According to the Chamber of Accounts, Azerbaijan is significantly lagging behind the targets set by the “State Program for the Development of Tea Growing for 2018–2027.”
One of the program’s key targets is to bring the area of tea plantations to 3,000 hectares and green tea leaf production to 8,500 tonnes by 2027.
Data from the Chamber shows that by 2026, the tea area is planned to reach 975 hectares and crop production 1,126 tonnes — figures that are several times lower than the targets set in the State Program.
It should be noted that the state subsidy per hectare for establishing tea plantations has also been increased. Specifically, a subsidy of 250 manats per hectare was set for tea plantations established before 2019, while plantations established in subsequent years receive 800 manats per hectare.
At the same time, a planting subsidy of 12,000 manats is envisaged for tea plantations equipped with a sprinkler-based irrigation system and planted with a minimum of 20,000 certified seedlings per hectare.
After state support for tea growing was increased, productivity also declined. While 15–17 centners per hectare were obtained in 2020–2021, this figure dropped to 12 centners in 2024.
During the program’s implementation period, exports have fallen by approximately half. While nearly 1,400 tonnes of tea were exported in 2018, the year the State Program was adopted, that figure amounted to just 725 tonnes in 2025.