By Smbat Grigoryan

YEREVAN. – In February, the growth in the physical volume of industrial production in Armenia amounted to 4.5 percent, on an annual basis, but this indicator does not inspire a special optimism.

The thing is that the metal industry, where about 7,000 people work, ensures this “growth on paper,” whereas the processing industry, where several tens of thousands people work, is not in such a good condition in the country. 

As case in point, in January, the physical volume of processing industry output decreased by 2.1 percent, on an annual basis.

In addition, the beverage industry output dropped by 33.3 percent in Armenia. It is known that this is primarily due to the reduction in brandy exports to Russia.