By Albert Khachatryan

With rare exception, Armenia used to export its products to the other "fraternal" republics of the USSR. After the USSR collapsed, the geography of foreign economic ties underwent a radical change. At present, however, Armenia mostly exports its products to other states.

January 2011 was not an exception. Armenia`s exports totaled 20 billion AMD, the share of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) being less than 2.8 billion AMD (13.9%), and that of the other states 17.2 billion AMD (86.1%).

Armenia`s exports to other countries differ from exports to CIS member-countries. Specifically, Armenia exports products of its processing industry (wines, cognacs) to the CIS member-countries, while it exports products of its mining industry (ferromolybdenum, copper, copper concentrate etc..) to other states.

Specifically, Armenia`s exports of its mining industry products to the CIS totaled 8.9 million AMD (0.1%), whereas its exports of the same products to other states totaled 6.4 billion AMD (99.9%).

As regard alcoholic beverages, the opposite situation can be observed. Armenian products are in great demand in the other CIS countries, particularly in Russia. Armenia`s exports of alcoholic beverages to the CIS member-states constituted 97.3% of the total exports, the share of other states being 2.7%.

This January, the share of Armenia`s mining industry constituted 31.8% of Armenia`s total exports, that of the country`s processing industry being 68.2%. On the other hand, metals (processed products of the mining industry" constitute greater part of exports of the Armenian processing industry, their share in the country`s exports being 52.3%.