ArmInfo. The volume of industrial production of Armenia in January 2019 to the same period of 2018 decreased by 0.6% (against a growth of 13.9% a year earlier), amounting to 123.3 billion drams ($ 253.8 million).
According to the RA Statistical Committee, the decline in the industrial sector is due to the deterioration of the dynamics of the mining sector against the background of a slowdown in the growth rate of the manufacturing industry. Thus, in January 2019, by the same period of 2018, in the mining industry and the development of open-pit mines, a decline of 9.8% was recorded (against a growth of 9.8% a year earlier) - to 23.2 billion drams. The volume of manufacturing in January 2019 year on year increased by 5.9% (against a growth of 27.8% a year earlier) to 74.6 billion drams.
Moreover, in the manufacturing industry, a significant slump in volumes in January 2019 by January 2018 was recorded in the pharmaceutical industry (by 30.9%), base metals (by 24.1%), other non-metallic mineral products (by 18.6%), electrical equipment (by 15.8%), jewelry (by 13.3%), machinery (by 10.5%). The most significant growth was recorded in the production of textiles (almost 2 times), the chemical industry (by 63.3%), furniture (by 61.7%), beverages (by 47.5%).
In the manufacturing industry, food products are leading in terms of production (20.1 billion drams), cigarettes (over 15 billion drams), and basic metals (14.7 billion drams).
According to the statistics, the supply of electricity, gas, steam and conditioned air in general decreased in January 2019 to the same period of 2018 by 6.7% (against a decline of 7.4% a year earlier) to 23.4 billion drams. Moreover, the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in an annual context decreased by 10.6%, with an increase in gas production, the distribution of gaseous fuel through the gas supply systems - by 9.1%.
Revenues from water supply, cleaning and processing of waste and receiving secondary raw materials in January 2019 decreased by 4.3% per annum (against 4.3% growth a year earlier) - to 2 billion drams. Moreover, the decline in this segment mainly determined the collection, treatment and disposal of waste, the production of secondary raw materials (by 22.1%). Tom recall, the volume of industrial production in Armenia in 2018 compared with 2017 increased by 4.3% (against growth of 12.6% a year earlier), reaching 1.737 trillion drams ($ 3.6 billion). The slowdown in the upward trend was triggered by a decline in the mining sector by 14% (against 13.9% growth a year earlier) and a slowdown in the manufacturing industry growth - from 15.7% a year earlier to 10% in 2018. The average settlement rate of the dram against the US dollar in January 2019 was 485.79 AMD / $ 1 versus 482.40 AMD/ $ 1 in January 2018.