Azerbaijan’s economy expands 5.7% in first half of year

That compares with a 2.1 percent growth in the same period last year, according to the State Statistics Committee data.

President Aliyev said the non-oil economy rose 9.2 percent year on year in January through June.

The country’s industrial production climbed 4 percent. 

Growth in the non-oil industrials was impressive at over 14 percent, the president said. He attributed the surge to the establishment of new industrial zones in recent years.

Agricultural production rose 7.3 percent.

Consumer prices grew 3.5 percent, Aliyev said, adding that the government should aim for keeping inflation below 10 percent for the whole year.