ArmInfo. In Armenia's foreign trade turnover, the leadership is held by Russia with a volume of $ 2.2 billion in January-December 2020, despite the reversal of the annual dynamics from 14.9% growth to 3.5% decline.
Russia retains leadership not only in this indicator, but also in exports and imports - $ 676 million and $ 1.5 billion, respectively, the annual dynamics of which also deteriorated, manifested in exports by a turn from 10.3% growth to 9% decline, and for imports - from 17.4% growth to 0.7% decline. This is evidenced by the final data of the RA Statistical Committee. China continues to occupy the second position in Armenia's foreign trade turnover - $ 964.5 million, with a slowdown in growth from 22.5% to 2%. In particular, the volume of exports of Armenian goods to China slowed down to 49.7% (from 80.7% a year earlier) to $ 290.04 million (3rd position), while the dynamics of imports reversed towards 10.3% decline (from 13,1% growth a year earlier) to $ 674.5 million (2nd position).
Switzerland occupies the third position in Armenia's foreign trade turnover - $ 485.5 million, with a deterioration in the annual dynamics of volume to a 5.1% decline (from a 9.7% growth a year earlier). In particular, the volume of exports of Armenian goods to Switzerland slowed down to 2.1% (from 35.7% a year earlier), amounting to $ 467.3 million (2nd position), while imports lingered in a decline with an acceleration of rates from 58.3% up to 66.1%, amounting to $ 18.2 million. The fourth position in Armenia's foreign trade turnover was held by Iran - $ 400.2 million, despite the deterioration in the annual dynamics of volume from 12.4% growth to 2.2% decline. In particular, the volume of exports of Armenian goods to Iran amounted to $ 84.8 million, with the output of the annual dynamics from the 11% decline to 1.1% growth, and the import of goods from Iran- $ 315.4 million (3rd position) with a trend reversal from 20.6% growth to 3% decline.
Germany held the fifth position in Armenia's foreign trade turnover - $ 291.6 million, despite the reversal of dynamics from 4.2% growth to 35.7% decline. In particular, the volume of exports of Armenian goods to Germany amounted to $ 56.6 million (with a slowdown in the annual decline from 48.8% to 18.7%), while imports in the amount of $ 235 million (with a reversal of the annual dynamics from 28.6% to 38,8% decline).
Switzerland and China hold the second and third positions in the TOP-3 after Russia in terms of exports, and China and Iran in terms of imports. In Armenia's foreign trade turnover, the share of Russia increased in y-o-y terms from 27.3% to 30.3%, China - from 11.5% to 13.6%, Switzerland - from 6.2% to 6.8%, Iran - from 5% to 5.6%, while the share of Germany, on the contrary, decreased from 5.5% to 4.1%.
The negative balance of foreign trade between Armenia and Russia increased by 7.5% to $ 803.1 million, with a decline in this indicator towards China by 31.1% to $ 384.5 million, Iran - by 4.4% to $ 230.7 million, Germany - by 43.2 % to $ 178.4 million. The balance of foreign trade between Armenia and Switzerland is positive - $ 449.1 million with a y-o-y growth of 11.1%. Among the countries of Armenia's trade partners, in addition to Switzerland, Iraq ($ 161.3 million), Bulgaria ($ 129.7 million), the United Arab Emirates ($ 76 million), the Netherlands ($ 67.9 million) and Kyrgyzstan ($ 1.2 million) record a positive foreign trade balance.
In total, Armenia's foreign trade turnover in January-December 2020 amounted to $ 7.1 billion, being in a decline of 13.2% per annum (against an increase of 10.4% a year earlier). In particular, the decline in imports turned out to be more significant - by 17.7% to $ 4.6 billion, than exports - by 3.9% to $ 2.5 billion, against the growth of these items a year earlier by 10.8% and 9.4%, respectively.
Armenia's foreign trade turnover with the EAEU countries in January-December 2020 amounted to $ 2.2 billion, with a deterioration in annual dynamics from 15.1% growth to 2.6% decline, amid a slowdown in import growth from 17.6% to 0.2 % - up to $ 1.5 billion and a reversal of the export trend from 10.5% growth to 8.3% decline - to $ 705.3 million. And Armenia's foreign trade turnover with the EU countries in January-December 2020 lingered in a downward trend with an acceleration of annual rates from 5.7% to 22.9%, amounting to $ 1.3 billion, against the backdrop of a decline in both exports by 25.9% to $ 429 million and imports by 21.4% to $ 847.5 million, which was already visible a year earlier, but in modest rates - 14.7% and 0.4%, respectively.
As a result, the negative foreign trade balance of Armenia decreased in January-December 2020 by 30.3% per annum (against 12.7% growth in 2019), amounting to $ 2 billion. In particular, the negative balance of Armenia's foreign trade with the EAEU countries increased over 2020 by 8.6% - to $ 842.4 million, and with the EU countries, on the contrary, decreased by 16.2% - to $ 418.5 million, while in 2019 the deficit of foreign trade with both the EAEU countries and the EU was growing - by 26.4% and 5.8%, respectively.