Minister: Armenia awaits new grain shipments via Azerbaijan and Georgia

Armenia is set to receive new consignments of grain in the near future, with deliveries transiting through Azerbaijan and Georgia, Armenia’s Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan announced.

According to Caliber.Az, citing Armenian media, he made the remarks during a briefing with journalists. The minister said the shipments are already on their way, adding that further details would be disclosed at a later stage.

Papoyan noted that information on the exact delivery dates to Yerevan, as well as the countries of origin of the grain, would be provided once it becomes available. “When the cargo is delivered, I will present the figures in tons,” the minister said.

Responding to questions about the potential import of petroleum products from Azerbaijan, Papoyan stressed that any information on such supplies would be made public only after they have been physically delivered to Armenia.

Earlier, a shipment of Russian wheat arrived at the Armenian border railway station of Ayrum, located on the Armenian–Georgian border, on the evening of November 5, followed by a shipment of Kazakh grain on November 8. These deliveries marked the first direct rail transportation of cargo from Russia through Azerbaijan to Georgia and onward to Armenia in 35 years.

The renewed flow of transit cargo follows Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s decision to lift all restrictions on the transit of goods to Armenia, which had been in place since the period of occupation. Speaking in Astana on October 21 alongside Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Aliyev said the first shipment under the new arrangements was a consignment of Kazakh grain destined for Armenia, describing it as a sign of expanding regional cooperation.

Analysts describe the move as an important confidence-building measure in the ongoing normalisation process between Baku and Yerevan. They say it could facilitate deeper trade integration across the South Caucasus and align with Azerbaijan’s broader strategy of positioning itself as a major transport and logistics hub connecting Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Europe.

By Tamilla Hasanova