ArmInfo. The foreign trade turnover between Armenia and Russia in January-July 2020 turned the dynamics towards a 3.3% decline from 8.8% growth in the same period of 2019, amounting to $ 1.13 billion.
Russia retains leadership not only in this indicator, but also for exports and imports - $ 327.3 million and $ 803.2 million, respectively, with a deterioration in export dynamics from 9.4% growth to a 16.9% decline and a slowdown in import growth from 8.5% to 3.6%. This is evidenced by the data of the RA Statistical Committee.
China continues to occupy the second position in foreign trade turnover with Armenia - $ 474.9 million, with a reversal of dynamics from 22.6% growth to 5.1% decline. In particular, the volume of exports of Armenian goods to China increased by 19.6% (against a growth of 72.6% a year earlier) to $ 126.3 million (3rd position), while imports fell by 11.7% (against 13.8% growth a year earlier) to $ 348.7 million (2nd position).
Switzerland ranks third in terms of foreign trade turnover with Armenia - $ 294.1 million with a y-o-y growth of 9% (against a decline of 1.1% a year earlier). In particular, the volume of exports of Armenian goods to Switzerland increased by 20.7% (against an increase of 25.3% a year earlier) to $ 286.3 million (2nd position), with a decline in imports by 75.9% (against a decline of 60, 9% a year earlier) to $ 7.9 million. Iran is in fourth position in terms of foreign trade turnover with Armenia - $ 216.5 million, despite a slowdown in y-o-y volume growth from 10.7% to 4.8%, in particular, with an export volume of $ 49.5 million with y-o-y 17.8% growth following 25.2% decline, and imports of $ 167 million (3rd position) with a slowdown in y-o-y growth from 26.3% to 1.5%.
Germany held the fifth position in terms of foreign trade turnover with Armenia - $ 134.3 million, with the decline accelerating from 21.8% to 33.3%. In particular, the volume of exports of Armenian goods to Germany amounted to $ 29 million (with a slowdown in the y-o-y decline from 56.1% to 28.6%), while imports amounted to $ 105.2 million (with an acceleration of the y-o-y decline from 2.4% to 34.5%). In terms of export volume in January-July of this year after Russia, the second and third positions are occupied by Switzerland and China, and in terms of imports, Russia is followed by China and Iran.
The volume of Armenia's foreign trade with the EAEU countries decreased by 2.6% per annum in January- July 2020 (against growth by 9.1% a year earlier), amounting to $ 1.2 billion, and accelerated the decline with the EU countries from 14.1% to 21.9 %, amounting to $ 695.4 million. Moreover, the export of Armenian goods to the EAEU countries reversed dynamics from 8.9% growth to 15.9% decline, amounting to $ 340.8 million, while import growth slowed down from 9.1% to 4% - to $ 837.5 million, while with the EU countries, exports and imports accelerated the decline to 24-20.6% (from 22.7-8.2% a year earlier), amounting to $ 251.7 million and $ 443.7 million, respectively. Among the EAEU countries in terms of foreign trade turnover, Russia is followed by Belarus - $ 41.6 million (slowdown in y-o-y growth from 29.1% to 16.2%), Kazakhstan - $ 5.4 million (change of y-o-y dynamics from 42.3% decline by 33.3% growth) and Kyrgyzstan - $ 954.5 thousand (reversal of dynamics from 3-fold growth to 39.7% decline). The export of Armenian goods to Belarus increased by 30.9% with an increase in imports by 12.3%, and in the direction of Kazakhstan, exports and imports grew by 21.4% and 51.3%, respectively. In the direction of Kyrgyzstan, the reversal of the export dynamics from a significant growth to 42.5% decline was accompanied by the exit of the import trend from a significant decline to 46.3% growth.
The main buyers of Armenian goods in January-July 2020 were Russia - 24.5% in exports, Switzerland - 21.5%, China - 9.5%, Bulgaria - 7.2%, and Iraq - 7%. The main suppliers of imported products to Armenia were Russia - 33.4% in total imports, China - 14.5%, Iran - 6.9%, Turkey - 4.9%, Germany - 4.4% and Italy - 4. 3%. The previously completely zeroed export to Brazil has now resumed, but the volumes are insignificant (with a sinking volume of imports from this country), the export of goods to Cyprus has almost been zeroed, and a modest volume of exports appeared in the direction of Romania, with a decline in imports by 36.4%. The most impressive annual decline in export volumes was observed between Armenia and Denmark - by 99.7% (with a decline in imports by 54.6%), and imports - between Armenia and the UAE - by 76.1% (with an increase in exports by 96.3%).
Among the dominant items of Armenian exports, annual growth was recorded in the leading item - mineral products - by 19.4% to $ 460.5 million. At the same time, the decline was in the export of finished food products - by 8.6% to $ 290.1 million, precious and semi-precious stones and products - by 26.7% to $ 174.3 million, base metals and products from them - by 13.7% to $ 134.6 million, and textile products - by 33.8% to $ 63.4 million. In imports, growth was maintained by such leading articles as finished food products - by 2.2% to $ 214.9 million and plant products - by 1.7% to $ 120.4 million, while the leading item - mineral products - went down - by 2.9% to $ 430.9 million. Other dominant import items also fell into recession: machinery / equipment / mechanisms - by 6.4% to $ 418.2 million, chemical products - by 0.7% to $ 236.4 million, base metals and products from them - by 0.3% to $ 185.3 million, textiles - by 25.7% to $ 115.6 million. Export of chemical products also went into decline - by 5.4% to $ 16. 5million.
In total, Armenia's foreign trade turnover in January-July 2020 decreased by 11.3% per annum (against 2.3% growth a year earlier), amounting to $ 3.7 billion. In its structure, the volume of exports underwent an annual decline of 6.4% to $ 1.3 billion, but the drop in imports turned out to be more significant - by 13.7% to $ 2.4 billion, while a year earlier export growth by 3% was accompanied by a 1.9% increase in imports. Economic activity in January-July 2020 decreased by 5.7% per annum, against 6.8% growth a year earlier.
