YEREVAN, December 2. /ARKA/. Armenia’s foreign trade turnover reduced 31% in Jan-Oct 2009, compared with the same period a year before, to AMD 1128.7 billion or $3121.5 million, National Statistical Service reports.
 
The country’s exports totaled AMD 200.6 billion ($551.6 million) after reducing 40.7%, and imports AMD 928.1 billion ($2570 million) after shrinking 28.5%.

As a result, adverse balance of the foreign trade turnover amounted to AMD 727.5 billion ($2018.4 million), and excluding cargoes received as humanitarian aid, AMD 713.8 billion ($1981.2 million).

According to the statistical report, food industry with its $75.1 million (47.8% reduction), precious and semiprecious stones and precious metals and jewelry worth $82.2 million (43.6% decline), non-precious metals worth $185.5 million (42.1% reduction against Jan-Oct 2008) and mining industry’s products worth $100.6 million (33.5% reduction) dominated Armenia’s export in Jan-Oct 2009.

Mining industry ($404.4 million under 26.5% decline), food industry ($207 million, 24.1% reduction), machinery and equipment ($453 million, 14.5% reduction against Jan-Oct 2008) and non-precious metals ($309.4 million, 11.6% reduction) dominated the country’s import.

According to preliminary statistical reports, adverse balance of Armenia’s foreign trade turnover in FOB prices (a shipping term which indicates that the supplier pays the shipping costs, and usually also the insurance costs, from the point of manufacture to a specified destination, at which point the buyer takes responsibility) amounted to $1622.1 million in Jan-Oct 2009.

In Jan-Oct 2008, the country’s foreign trade turnover totaled $4523.9 million. M.V.-0---