ArmInfo.In Jan-April 2018, the volume of Armenia's industrial output increased by 5.2% (compared to 12.9% growth a year earlier) to the same period of 2017, amounting to 522.1 billion AMD ($ 1.1 billion). But only in April the industry showed a decline of 15.6% to 121.6 billion ($ 252.6 million).
According to the National Statistical Service of Armenia, the slowdown in the annual growth rate of the industrial sector is due to a decrease in the volume of the mining sector and a slowdown in the growth of the manufacturing industry.
In the reporting period of 2018, in the mining industry and the development of open pits recorded an annual decline of 8.3% (compared to 13.5% growth a year earlier) - to 108.3 billion drams. And only in April, the mining industry showed a decline of 4.3% - to 26.8 billion drams. The volume of manufacturing industry in Jan-April 2018 increased by 12.4% year-on-year (against growth of 17.2% a year earlier) to 317.5 billion drams, with a monthly decline of 21.1% to 75.1 billion drams. Moreover, in the manufacturing industry during the reporting period, only volumes of food production - by 1.9%, main metals - by 0.9%, computers, electronic and optical equipment - by 27.8% dipped. At the same time, a significant growth was recorded in printing and replicating of recorded media - 2.2 times, in the production of machinery and equipment - 85.9%, clothes - 83.6%, other non-metallic mineral products - 66.9%, chemical products - by 64.1%, textiles - by 57.9%. In the processing industry, food products (85 billion drams), basic metals (57.7 billion), cigarettes (48.7 billion), beverages (43.4 billion drams) are leading in terms of production volumes.
According to statistical data, the supply of electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning as a whole declined by 1.3% in January-April 2018 by the same period in 2017 (against 2.4% growth a year earlier) to 16.4 billion drams, against the background of a monthly decline of 7% to 17.7 billion drams. Moreover, generation, transmission and distribution of electricity for the reporting period increased by 3.9% per annum, while gas production, distribution of gaseous fuels through gas supply systems decreased by 19.3%.
Revenues from water supply, waste treatment and processing and receipt of secondary raw materials increased by 1.3% per annum (against 3.9% growth a year earlier) to 7.9 billion drams during the reporting period. On a monthly basis, this segment showed a decline of 2.1% - to 1.9 billion drams. Moreover, the upward annual dynamics in this segment, mainly, resulted in the collection, processing and destruction of waste, the receipt of secondary raw materials (an increase of 5.1%).
The volume of industrial production in Armenia in 2017 compared to 2016 grew by 12.6% (against growth of 6.7% a year earlier), amounting to 1.660 trillion drams ($ 3.4 billion). The improvement in the dynamics was reflected in the acceleration of the growth rate of the mining sector to 13.9% (from 8.3% a year earlier) and the manufacturing industry to 15.7% (from 7.7% a year earlier).
The average calculated exchange rate of the dram was 481.35/$1 in April, 488.31/$1 in Jan-April, and 481.38/$1 in January-April, compared to 485.14 dr / $ 1- in April 2017 and 485.62/$1 Jan-April 2017.
