The RA Committee of State Revenues reported that Armenia’s largest taxpayers’ imports this February were half as much again as last February. The 344 largest taxpayers’ imports totaled 53.4bn AMD (about U.S. $140m).

The Committee claims that the reason for the import was not only commercial interest in the purchase and sale, but also production requirements. The Committee lists eight companies that carried out major import transactions: ArmRusgazprom, Orange Armenia mobile operator, Flash oil trader, and one of the major food importers Alex Grig.

The improvement in the import situation caused an increase in customs revenues. This February the customs duties paid by the largest Armenian taxpayers totaled 9.9bn AMD (U.S. $26m) – a 49.9% increase as compared with last February.

As regards exports, the largest taxpayers “fell short of expectations.” This February their exports totaled 19.8bn AMD (U.S. $52m) – 2.7 times as less as their imports. So, as regards specialization, the largest companies are importers rather than exporters.

Among the exporter companies, the largest taxpayers are the Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine, Rusal Armenal, Armenian Copper Program, Dino Gold Mining, Pure Iron Plant, and others.

T.P.