ArmInfo. The annual dynamics of the foreign trade turnover between Armenia and Russia in January-February 2018 accelerated the rate of annual growth to 28.7% (against 23.2% growth in 2017), amounting to $ 306.7 million.
Russia retains the primacy not only in this indicator, but and on exports and imports - $ 90.1 million and $ 216.6 million, respectively, with the acceleration of growth in imports from 14.7% to 25.7% while slowing growth in exports from 53% to 36.7%.
According to the Armenian National Statistical data, the second position on foreign trade turnover with Armenia continues to be occupied by China, which slowed the annual growth from 51.4% to 26%, with the volume of $ 102.2 million. In particular, the volume of exports of Armenian goods to China decreased by 8.2% (against growth of 15.3% a year earlier) to $ 16.3 million, while import grew by 35.6% (against growth of 65.9% a year earlier) to $ 85.9 million (the second position is held).
The third position on foreign trade turnover with Armenia is taken by Switzerland, with annual growth of 2.2 times (against growth of 21.2 times a year earlier) to $ 96.97 million. In particular, the volume of export of Armenian goods to Switzerland increased by 92.8% ( against growth of 299.5 times a year earlier) to $ 65.7 million (2nd position) with import growth 3 times (against growth of 5.2 times a year earlier) to $ 31.2 million.
The fourth and fifth positions on foreign trade turnover with Armenia are occupied by Germany and Bulgaria - $ 65.3 million and $ 53.1 million, respectively. Moreover, the annual dynamics of foreign trade turnover between Armenia and Germany in January-February 2018 increased by 64.1% from a 2% decline in 2017, and between Armenia and Bulgaria, the growth rate slowed from 33.3% to 29, 3%. In particular, the volume of exports of Armenian goods to Germany amounted to $ 27.1 million (an annual growth of 21.7%) with imports of $ 38.2 million (annual growth of 2.2 times), and Bulgaria - respectively $ 43.96 million (annual growth of 19, 3%) and $ 9.1 million (annual growth of 2.2 times).
By volume of exports in January-February this year after Russia, Switzerland and Bulgaria occupy the second and third positions, and China and Germany follow Russia's imports.
The main buyers of Armenian goods in January-February 2018 were Russia - 23.3% in exports, Switzerland - 17%, Bulgaria - 11.4%, Germany - 7%, Iraq - 5.2%, the Netherlands - 5.1%, Iran - 5%, the United Arab Emirates - 4.5%, China - 4.2%. The main suppliers of imported products to Armenia were Russia - 30.4% in total imports, China- 12,1%, Germany - 5,4%, the USA - 4,8%, Switzerland - 4,4%, Turkey - 4%, Iran - 3,9%, Italy - 3,1%, UAE - 2, 4%. The exports to Romania, Cyprus, Sweden and Brazil are completely nulled, and zero imports are recorded only for Iraq. The most impressive annual decline in export volumes was observed between Armenia and Turkmenistan - by 74.3%, and imports - between Armenia and Belgium - by 43.7%.
Among the dominant items of Armenian exports, annual growth was recorded for mineral products - by 38.5% to $ 117.1 million, finished food products - by 22.8% to $ 79.5 million, precious and semiprecious stones and products - by 47.1% to $ 61.2 million , non-precious metals and products from them - by 42% to $ 56.2 million, textile products - 2.3 times to $ 30.1 million, and the decline was recorded only on wooden products and works of art. For imports, the decline was recorded only for works of art and oils of vegetable and animal origin, against which the dominant imports increased: mineral raw materials by 3.8% to $ 125.6 million, machinery / equipment / machinery by 87.4% to $ 117.5 million, precious metals and metal products - by 53.5% to $ 54.1 million, finished food products - by 43.7% to $ 52.9 million, base metals and articles made from them - by 71.6% to $ 49.3 million, vehicles - 3.1 times to $ 47.3 million, textile products - by 16.4% to $ 42.5 million. Chemical products in both exports and imports demonstrated and growth - by 18.5% and 45.8%, respectively, to $ 4.2 million and $ 65.2 million.
In total, Armenia's foreign trade turnover in January-February 2018 increased by 43.2% per annum, making 512.4 billion drams ($ 1098.4 million). In its structure, the volume of exports has undergone an annual growth of 41% to 186.4 billion drams ($ 386.9 million), and imports - an annual growth of 44.4% to 326 billion drams ($ 711.5 million). A year earlier, in January-February 2017, foreign trade turnover increased by 22.2% due to an increase in exports by 20.1% and imports by 23.5%. Armenia's economic activity in January-February 2018 accelerated its annual growth rate to 8.6% from 6.2% in the same period in 2017.
The average calculated exchange rate for the dram was 481.88 AMD / $ 1 in January-February and 481.38 AMD / $ 1 in February 2018, compared to 486.26 AMD / $ 1 in January-February 2017 and 486.51 AMD / $ 1 - in February 2017.
