Azerbaijan has experienced a surge in vegetable prices in recent months, particularly for tomatoes, with prices exceeding 5 manats in the capital's markets. The average cost of 1 kilogram of potatoes and onions is now 1 manat 50 gapik. Despite official data indicating a 1.9 percent increase in crop production for the same period compared to the previous year, tomato, cucumber, and potato prices have risen compared to last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture's website.

The increase in prices has been attributed to rising costs of fertilizers and saltpeter due to the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on imports from Ukraine and Russia. However, experts and officials acknowledge that there is an artificial inflation of prices in the market. Measures are being taken by the State Service for Antimonopoly and Supervision of the Consumer Market, but there is a need for a Competition Code to ensure market stability and fair pricing practices among entrepreneurs, according to a member of the Milli Majlis committee on economic policy, industry, and entrepreneurship.

Agriculture expert Vahida Maharramli believes that the production and sale of certain agricultural products, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and potatoes, are controlled by a monopoly, resulting in uneven production, poor storage conditions, and high prices. She emphasizes the need to address monopolistic practices and improve storage and distribution systems to stabilize prices and improve the availability of agricultural products in Azerbaijan.