Armenia needs special strategy to boost export: Business association official says
09.06.2011,
23:40
A senior official of an Armenian business association urged the government today to declare export as a priority and develop a special strategy and a concept for its development.
YEREVAN, June 9. / ARKA /. A senior official of an Armenian business association urged the government today to declare export as a priority and develop a special strategy and a concept for its development. Speaking at a news conference, Gagik Makarian, the executive director of the Union of Armenian Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, said some 15 types of products have been accounting for about 80% of Armenian exports over the last 5-6 years and about 70% of it is secured by the mining industry. He said this means that Armenian economy needs badly to be diversified. According to him, there are two approaches to remedy the situation.
"The first approach is that we need to recognize exports as a priority and develop a specific strategy. In this case, we must create a tier of exporting enterprises, encourage them by special policies and incentives or by providing with international certificates, which would help them enter international markets", he said.
The second approach, he said, provides for periodic steps to improve the business environment in the country, that would result in building an export potential. He listed some of the problems associated with exporting.
"First and foremost, it is a very low productivity of Armenian enterprises and to solve this problem they need to be reequipped with modern technology", he said.
Makarian mentioned another problem which he said is low level management in enterprises which prefer to ensure their competitiveness by artificial methods – like shadow economy, corruption, low-paying and low-quality specialists.
"We must try to overcome this, we should force entrepreneurs to legal field, and the government in turn should make some steps in the legislative area, since entrepreneurs have little trust in it," he added. -0-
"The first approach is that we need to recognize exports as a priority and develop a specific strategy. In this case, we must create a tier of exporting enterprises, encourage them by special policies and incentives or by providing with international certificates, which would help them enter international markets", he said.
The second approach, he said, provides for periodic steps to improve the business environment in the country, that would result in building an export potential. He listed some of the problems associated with exporting.
"First and foremost, it is a very low productivity of Armenian enterprises and to solve this problem they need to be reequipped with modern technology", he said.
Makarian mentioned another problem which he said is low level management in enterprises which prefer to ensure their competitiveness by artificial methods – like shadow economy, corruption, low-paying and low-quality specialists.
"We must try to overcome this, we should force entrepreneurs to legal field, and the government in turn should make some steps in the legislative area, since entrepreneurs have little trust in it," he added. -0-
