Armenian jewelers require state support to enter international markets

ArmInfo. During the discussions of problems in the jewelry sector, held on November 25 at the Ministry of Economic Development and Investments, representatives of jewelry industries required from Minister Suren Karayan  to solve issues, blocking the export of Armenian products and its  sales  at Russian market.

Simon Alanakyan, the Director General of Shoghakn, mentioned that Armenian diamond processing in wel known all over the world. It has sales markets, but nowadays some serious problems occurred with raw material purchase. He also noted that within the time a problem may occur in respect to processing specialists. "That is why we are intended to establish a training center, in cooperation with the Ministry. We have already hired 20 specialists who will train young specialists," Alanakyan stated. Armenia may become the jewelry stones processing center within the EEU, we should  consider this option as well," he accentuated.

In his turn, Sargis Sargsyan, the representative of Bjuregh LLC, noted that the enterprises of the sector face strong bureaucracy obstacles, incuding the export to EEU countries. It is necessary to simplify this process, Sargsyan went on. According to him, the raw materials and export procedures are so exaggerated that companies lose their clients abroad.

Vladik Mkrtchyan, the Vlan LLC head, stated that the power should support jewelers also in the aspect of loans, because banks reject rendering loans to the companies located in highland areas Armenia. Beside that, he noted that the interest rates are too high. "In Israel and Belgium banks give preference loans with 2- 5% of interest rates, which supports the sector development, and our banks don't give loans or  give with scuh interest rates, that it is better to give up the company,"  the businessmam said. Suren  Karayan listened to all the suggestions and remarks of the representatives of the sector, and promised to solve the problem of the single  entry and exit  tool for import and export. Beside that, Yerevan is intended to sign an intergovernmental Agreement with Angola on supplies of diamond raw material to Armenia for further processing. "We don't use our potential in this sector and our membership in EEU, we have to solve the problem," he said. 

According to the Ministry of Economic Development and Investments, during Jaunary- October 2016 the diamond processing in Armenia in monetary value formed AMD 24 bln, which for 108%exceeds the indication of the last year, when the production volume was at AMD 11,5 bln. The growth  of the sector formed 24%. In January-June2016 the production formed AMD 1,98 bln  versus  AMD 1,59 bln in 2015.  To remind, Russian State Duma has ratified the amendments to the Russian-Armenian agreement on cooperation in supply of natural gas, oil derivatives and rough diamonds.  

The amendments enshrine the list of oil derivatives which will be imported from Russia to Armenia without any export customs duties. Russia's Deputy Energy Minister Yury Sentyurin said that Armenia has completely joined the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU)  and that the regulation of trade between the two countries is being amended.