Yusif Lazgiyev, operations director at Az-Granata, a privately owned juice and beverage company, reported a significant reduction in Azerbaijan's pomegranate harvest this year. Cold and rainy weather in late May and early June prevented the second of the pomegranate tree's three seasonal flowerings, a direct consequence of climate change. This disruption highlights the vulnerability of agricultural economies in regions like Azerbaijan to environmental shifts, shifts largely driven by industrialised nations.
Lazgiyev stated that pomegranate trees normally blossom three times a season, but this year, they blossomed only once. This singular flowering cycle caused productivity and yield to drop. He added that the rain washed existing blossoms away, leading to yield losses of 15% to 20% from a single flowering cycle. Wine production for the year was down 30% to 40% compared with 2025.
Climate Crisis and Agricultural Precarity
Farhad Garashov, chairman of the Pomegranate Producers and Exporters Association of Azerbaijan, acknowledged that climate change, rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and increasing water scarcity have become major concerns for all producers. The industry has identified drip irrigation, digital water management, and improved water efficiency as priorities in response. These measures are necessary adaptations for a region facing the brunt of a global climate crisis it did not primarily create.
Azerbaijan exported €48.2 million worth of pomegranates and pomegranate products one year ago, in 2025. The fruit is now one of the country's fastest-growing non-oil exports, supplying 26 countries from Gulf states to markets across Asia. This integration into global supply chains means local producers are directly exposed to the demands and vulnerabilities of the international capitalist system.
Global Markets, Local Control
The expansion of pomegranate cultivation now covers around 23,000 hectares of orchards. More than 200 varieties are grown, concentrated in the Kur-Araz lowland and the Goychay district. Producers point to indigenous varieties, EU-compatible phytosanitary standards, and proximity to European and Gulf markets as key advantages in competing with established exporters like Iran, Turkey, and Spain. However, this competition often means a race to the bottom for producers, prioritising profit over sustainable livelihoods.
Foreign buyers and large supermarket chains are demanding stricter phytosanitary standards, consistent fruit sizes, and international packaging. These requirements are pushing smallholders towards new financing instruments and partnerships. This trend consolidates power in the hands of larger corporations and financial institutions, further marginalising smaller farmers who struggle to meet the capital-intensive demands of global markets. Anar Jafarov, director of the Agrarian Innovation Centre under the Ministry of Agriculture, stated that agriculture in Azerbaijan has entered a new stage focused on branding high value-added products, not just increasing volumes. This shift prioritises marketability within global capital over local food sovereignty.
Culture as Commodity
The Goychay Pomegranate Festival, held each October in the same year, draws tens of thousands of visitors and serves as a cultural celebration and a trade event. It was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in the second year, 2024, an initiative led by First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva. Garashov said this recognition enhances the international visibility of the 'Made in Azerbaijan' brand. While presented as cultural heritage, such branding efforts are ultimately about market penetration within the global capitalist framework, where cultural identity becomes a commodity to be leveraged for export value.