SME DNC: Share of SME in Armenia`s GDP totals 28%

ArmInfo.Despite the fact that for several years the share of SMEs in the structure of Armenia's GDP has remained unchanged totaling about 28%, nevertheless, a positive  trend is being observed, which is registered from year to year in  terms of growth of additional value created by SMEs. This opinion was  expressed by Deputy Director of "Small and Medium Entrepreneurship  Development National Center of Armenia" (SME DNC)  Karen Gevorgyan on  the sidelines of the event attached to the launch of the program of  the UN International Trade Centre "Ready for Trade".

He noted that today, according to the National Center's criteria, 60%  of 75,000 SMEs operating in Armenia are private entrepreneurs and  only 40% are organizations. However, according to the expert, taking  into account the resources of the domestic market, today the Center  faces the task of helping SMEs to increase their export  opportunities, which is mainly related to ensuring the compliance of  products of local manufacturers with international safety standards.  "This is an important problem in Armenia. As a rule, our producers  produce very high-quality, environmentally friendly products, but  there are problems related to their incompatibility with  international standards, as well as technical regulations and  marketing design, "K. Gevorgyan emphasized.

He added that the National Center uses different opportunities for  presenting the products of Armenian producers at international  platforms. The results, he said demonstrate that there is a high  demand, in particular, from European consumers. "However, our  producers are not ready for export either because of incompliance  with regulations or quantitative indicators," the expert explained.   From the point of view of the structure of SMEs, in Armenia, as in  most countries of the world, trade in particular, retail holds the  major share, In this light he noted that today SME DNC is working to  increase the number of SMEs engaged in processing products, opening  jobs, especially in the regions and border communities of the  country. Returning to the initiative of ITC, K. Gevorgyan noted that  the participation of SMEs in the "Ready for Trade" program will allow  to establish cooperation with a number of other international  programs, make optimal use of available resources, exclude dubbing in  the market to fill the existing uncompleted niches. 

To note the National Center for the Development of Small and Medium  Enterprises was established by the Government of Armenia in 2002. It  works through a wide network of regional branches and representative  offices throughout Armenia. The Center's activities are aimed at  establishing links between state structures and SMEs in order to  improve the efficiency and competitiveness of business, provide  access to development services and financial resources, support  innovative, research projects, etc.