Svetlana Zabelina: The trade turnover between Armenia and Russia may  exceed $ 2 billion this year.

ArmInfo.The trade turnover between Armenia and Russia this year may exceed $ 2 billion. Such a forecast was told by its director Svetlana Zabelina on October 17 at  the opening of the eighth annual international industrial exhibition  EXPO-RUSSIA ARMENIA.

"The common space, of course, facilitates the trade process. When we  held the first exhibition, the trade turnover between our countries  could not come close to the $ 1 billion mark. At the end of last  year, the volume of mutual trade between Armenia and Russia amounted  to $ 1.7 billion. According to the latest data of the current year  growth has already been fixed at 26%. In particular, thanks to the  holding of such events, I think we will be able to increase the  volume of trade even more, "she noted.

However, according to her, this year there were certain difficulties  with the organization of the exhibition.  "Many large companies  canceled their trip to Armenia based on the political situation, but  small and medium businesses are here. We hope that everything will be  fine, since Armenia is a friendly country for Russia," she explained.

According to the director of EXPO-RUSSIA ARMENIA, over 10 years of  the exhibition, representatives from more than 1,000 enterprises,  about 5,000 business people, came to Russia from Armenia. In  particular, this year about 100 enterprises from 7 regions of Russia  are participating. Moreover, the geography of the participants has  changed. "Initially, in the first year of the exhibition opening,  only Russian companies participated. The following year, the Armenian  side joined. This year the exhibition also features pavilions of  Kazakhstan and Belarus," S. Zabelina said.

As part of the EXPO-RUSSIA ARMENIA exhibition, as she noted, a  business forum is expected, as well as a cultural program, namely,  show 2

Russian films, master classes in floristics, and there will be a big  presentation of Russian universities - Russia Study for Armenian  students, applicants and schoolchildren.

According to the RA Statistics Committee, the foreign trade turnover  between Armenia and the Russian Federation in January-August 2018  amounted to $ 1.2 billion, with an annual growth of 22.3%. In  particular, exports increased by 31.7% to $ 424.2 million, while  imports grew by 17.9% to $ 805 million.