Friday, August 6 2021 12:56

ArmInfo. Russia and China remain the main foreign trade partners of Armenia. According to the final data of the Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia, Russia  holds the leadership in Armenia's foreign trade turnover with a  volume of $ 1.1 billion in the first half of 2021, with the annual  dynamics coming out of a 0.4% decline by 16% growth.

Russia retains  the leading position in export and import - $ 365.3 million and $  730.8 million, respectively. Moreover, the annual dynamics of exports  for the year changed from a 19.1% decline by 36% growth, while the  growth of imports slowed down from 9.1% to 8.1%.

The PRC, which has secured its second position as a foreign trade  partner of the Republic of Armenia, is almost two times behind  Russia. Thus, the foreign trade turnover between Armenia and China  amounted to $ 546.3 million in the first half of the year. Moreover,  here the annual dynamics from the 5.1% decline of the last year  reached 33.7% growth. In particular, the export of Armenian goods to  China sharply accelerated the annual growth from 23.8% to 2-fold, and  the import of goods from China came out of the 12.9% decline by 8.4%  growth. Exports amounted to $ 225.2 million, and imports $ 321.1  million.  Iran is in the third position in the foreign trade turnover  of Armenia, keeping the same position in terms of imports. Foreign  trade turnover between Armenia and Iran amounted to $ 223.9 million  in the first half of the year, with an acceleration of growth from  1.1% to 26.6%. In particular, the volume of exports of Armenian goods  to Iran amounted to only $ 32.9 million, with a deterioration in  annual dynamics from 18.9% growth to a 21.1% decline, and imports  from Iran - $ 190.97 million, but with the opposite dynamics - from  3, 4% decline for 41.3% growth.

Switzerland ranks fourth in Armenia's foreign trade turnover - $  177.8 million, with a deterioration in annual dynamics from 4.7%  growth to 24.1% decline. But in terms of exports, Switzerland secured  the third position - $ 161.2 million, despite the deterioration in  dynamics from 18.8% growth to 29.5% decline.  At the same time, the  annual dynamics of imports of goods from Switzerland came out of the  82.1% recession for 3-fold growth - up to $ 16.5 million.

Germany is on the fifth position. The turnover of goods and services  with this country amounted to $ 135 million, thanks to the change of  the annual dynamics from the 32.5% decline by 20.9% growth. In  particular, the volume of exports of Armenian goods to Germany  amounted to $ 38.7 million (with a reversal of the annual dynamics  from a 28.7% decline to 61.6% growth), while imports in the amount of  $ 96.4 million (with a reversal of the annual dynamics from 33.6 %  decline by 9.8% growth).  In Armenia's foreign trade turnover, the  share of Russia increased in y-o-y terms from 30% to 30.7%, China -  from 13% to 15.3%, Iran - from 5.6% to 6.3%, Germany - from 3.5% to  3.8%, while Switzerland, on the contrary, decreased from 7.4% to 5%.

The negative foreign trade balance of Armenia with Russia decreased  in the first half of 2021 by 10.4% to $ 365.5 million, with China -  by 47.9% to $ 95.8 million, with Germany - by 9.6% to $ 57.7 million,  with this indicator growing in the direction of Iran by 69% to $  158.04 million. The balance of foreign trade between Armenia and  Switzerland is positive - $ 144.7 million with an annual decline of  35.2%.  Among the countries of Armenia's trade partners, in the first  half of 2021, in addition to Switzerland, are Bulgaria ($ 96.3  million), Iraq ($ 60.3 million), the Netherlands ($ 53.2 million),  the United Arab Emirates ($ 23.2 million), Kazakhstan ($ 2.97  million), Belgium ( $ 2.9 million), Kyrgyzstan ($ 1.2 million) and  Slovakia ($ 1.01 million).

In total, Armenia's foreign trade turnover in the first half of 2021  amounted to $ 3.6 billion, with an annual growth of 13.4% (against a  10.7% decline a year earlier). In particular, an increase in export  volumes by 23.3% to $ 1.4 billion was accompanied by an increase in  imports by 7.9% to $ 2.2 billion, while as a year earlier, both items  were in decline - exports by 6.5% and imports by 12.9%.  Armenia's  foreign trade turnover with the EAEU countries in the first half of  2021 amounted to $ 1.13 billion, with an improvement in the annual  dynamics from a 0.3% decline to 15.3% growth, against the background  of the exit of export dynamics from an 18.2% decline by 35.6% growth  - to $ 380.3 million, with a slowdown in import growth from 8.7% to  7.2% - to $ 752.9 million. And Armenia's foreign trade turnover with  the EU countries in the first half of 2021 came out of a 20.6%  decline by 21% growth, amounting to $ 713.6 million, against the  background of an improvement in the annual dynamics of exports and  imports from 21.6-20.1 % decline by 39.5-10.5% growth - to $ 297.6  million and $ 416 million, respectively.

As a result, Armenia's negative foreign trade balance slowed down the  annual decline in the first half of 2021 from 19.4% to 10.9%,  amounting to $ 812.7 million. In particular, the negative foreign  trade balance of Armenia with the EAEU countries decreased by 11.7 %  per annum in the first half of 2021 - up to $ 372.7 million, and with  the EU countries - by 27.4% to $ 118.4 million.