Arab Markets, Perishable Goods, and the Limits of Diversification

Officials keep promising diversification, but the official trade figures show the opposite. In recent years Armenia’s exports to the EAEU and Russia have grown nearly fivefold, and that dependence on Russia leaves the country more exposed now than a few years ago. Arab markets and the EU come up as the alternative, yet for fresh, fast-perishing produce (flowers, tomatoes, apricots) those routes are, for now, simply unrealistic: certification, logistics, and the longer haul all get in the way. Diversification toward the EU has to start with light, high-value goods. And Armenian flower-growing pays off almost only toward Russia, which is exactly what builds a systemic vulnerability.

Gortsarar aliq FM106.5 · 36 min