Officials from Armenia and Russia highlighted a substantial rise in the export of fruits and vegetables from Armenia to the Russian Federation. In a recent discussion, involving Armen Hayrapetyan, the Head of Food Safety Inspectorate of Armenia, and Sergei Dankvert, Head of the Federal Agency for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision of Russia, revealed that as of April 20, exports had reached 20.8 thousand tons, marking a 1.9-fold increase from the previous year. Despite this growth, Armenia's overall agricultural output in 2023 saw a slight decline of 0.3%, totaling 948 billion drams.
The Ministry of Economy clarified that the growth in exports is not attributed to re-export activities, noting that only a fraction of the domestic production of grapes, fruits, berries, vegetables, and potatoes were exported. The ministry also reported a 3.7% increase in gross agricultural output in the first quarter of 2024. In response to queries about the sale of potatoes, it was revealed that exports of potatoes had surged, significantly exceeding the total exports of the previous year, with efforts being made to support farmers and stimulate further exports.
Data from the RA Statistics Committee and the RA Customs Service provided insights into the harvest and export volumes of potatoes, indicating a rise in production and a significant increase in exports compared to the previous year, alongside a notable increase in potato imports.
Source: finport.am