Armenia Exports 48% More Agricultural Products in 2020 Amid Pandemic and War

Despite the challenges in 2020, Armenia successfully managed to export agricultural products, exporting nearly 3,000 tons more fresh fruits and vegetables compared to the previous year. This was stated by Deputy Minister of Economy Arman Khajoyan in an interview with Armenpress.

The export of several crops has noticeably increased. In 2020, Armenia exported about 24,200 tons of grapes, while in 2019, this figure was 15,900. The export of peaches reached 13,800 tons in 2020, compared to 9,280 tons in 2019. The export of tomatoes amounted to 28,600 tons, while in 2019, it was 24,800 tons.

At the same time, there were crops, such as apricots and apples, that were exported in smaller quantities. While 30,000 tons of apricots were exported in 2019, around 19,700 tons were exported in 2020. Similarly, 14,000 tons of apples were exported in 2019, while 10,000 tons were exported in 2020.

“However, the decrease in quantities was also due to lower yields. There were issues related to productivity, frost damage, etc. Nevertheless, there were no recorded problems where we produced but could not export,” said the deputy minister.

Addressing the issue of processing, Khajoyan noted that according to operational data, around 98,000 tons of fruits and vegetables were processed in 2020, which is about 12,000 tons more than in 2019. Grapes are not included in this calculation, as there was an unprecedented large quantity of grapes. The yield was on average 25-30% higher than in previous years.