Armenia's processing industry reports 7.4% growth in first half of 2026

YEREVAN, 11 August. /ARKA/. In the first half of 2026, Armenia's processing industry reached 946,757.9 million drams, marking a 7.4% increase compared to January 2025, as reported by the Statistical Committee.

In June, the output was 162.6 billion drams, reflecting a 2.5% rise from June 2025, although it was 2.1% lower than the figure from May 2026.

The food manufacturing sector contributed the largest share at 30.6%, showing a growth of 6% compared to the same period last year, with an output of 290.1 billion drams.

The top five sectors include:

- Base metals production, accounting for 15.6% with a growth of 32.1%, valued at 147.8 billion drams;

- Tobacco production, holding a 14.6% share, but experiencing a decline of 7.5%, worth 138 billion drams;

- Beverage production, which made up 11.3% with a growth of 16.6%, valued at 106.8 billion drams;

- Production of other non-metallic mineral products, contributing 7.1%, down by 3.6%, worth 67.7 billion drams.

Following these are:

- Rubber and plastic products production, with a 2.6% share and a growth of 6.5%, worth 25,000.0 million drams;

- Chemical production, at 2.5% with a significant growth of 73.2%, valued at 24,057.5 million drams;

- Printing and circulation of recorded media, holding 2.4% but decreasing by 0.3%, worth 22,259.3 million drams;

- Clothing production, at 2.0%, down by 2%, valued at 18,709.5 million drams;

- Finished metal products production, excluding machinery and equipment, at 1.9% with a growth of 34.2%, worth 17,772.4 million drams;

- Production of items not classified elsewhere, at 1.8% with a growth of 21.6%, valued at 16,783.4 million drams;

- Paper and paper products production, at 1.7% with a growth of 5.7%, worth 15,757.5 million drams;

- The production of electrical equipment saw a decline of 13.9%, standing at 1.3% and valued at 12,776.8 million drams;

- Furniture production, also at 1.3%, experienced an impressive growth of 59.7%, amounting to 12,142.9 million drams. The production of basic pharmaceutical products and drugs accounted for 0.8%, with a growth of 19.5%, valued at 7,739.7 million drams;

- The repair and installation of machinery and equipment, at 0.7%, fell by 12.1%, totaling 6,333.5 million drams;

- The production of computers, electronic, and optical products, also at 0.7%, grew by 22.6%, worth 6,190.4 million drams;

- The production of machinery and equipment not classified elsewhere, at 0.4%, saw a significant decrease of 66.2%, amounting to 3,769.6 million drams;

- Textile production, at 0.3%, grew by 5.3%, valued at 2,777.9 million drams;

- The production of leather goods, at 0.2%, increased by 5.8%, totaling 1,671.4 million drams;

- Wood processing, at 0.1%, saw a growth of 1.7%, amounting to 1,363.3 million drams;

- The production of coke and oil refining products, at 0.1%, fell by 48.5%, with a volume of 1,156.5 million drams;

- The production of vehicles, trailers, and semi-trailers, at approximately 0.02%, grew by 11.8%, totaling 154.5 million drams.

The total volume of industrial production in Armenia for January to June 2026 reached 1,522,502.1 million drams, reflecting a 10.8% increase compared to the same period last year.

Processing Industry Remains a Cornerstone of Industrial Growth

The processing industry, which constitutes over 62% of Armenia's total industrial output, continues to play a crucial role in shaping the sector's overall dynamics. With an output growth of 7.4%, it bolsters the total industrial figures and contributes significantly to the value added in the manufacturing sector of the economy.

However, the industry's structure remains quite concentrated: around 80% of production is concentrated in just five sectors - food industry, base metals production, tobacco products, beverages, and other non-metallic processing. Notably, the production of base metals has surged by 32.1%, further enhancing the positive trends within the processing sector.-0-