Expert: light industry should be spurred for developing small and medium businesses
02.07.2013,
20:18
Vazgen Safaryan, chairman of Armenia’s Union of Domestic Commodity Producers, speaking today at a news conference, proposed to spur light industry for developing small and medium businesses.
YEREVAN, July 2. /ARKA/. Vazgen Safaryan, chairman of Armenia’s Union of Domestic Commodity Producers, speaking today at a news conference, proposed to spur light industry for developing small and medium businesses.
In particular, he proposed to launch production of leathers and woollies.
“Some 10 million pairs of shoes are imported into Armenia every year, but there is capacity for producing 5 million pairs of shoes here in the country, and this will satisfy the domestic demand and create some 3,000 jobs,” he said.
Safaryan said every year Armenia exports 3,500 to 4,000 tons of raw materials for producing leather to Turkey, Georgia and China.
“Necessary steps should be taken to keep these raw materials in the country and use them in the domestic industry,” he said adding that the same situation is in textile industry.
“Now Armenia has some 4,000 tons of accumulated wool and also 1,000 tons as annual output…This wool can be used for producing carpets and mattresses for the defense and health ministries, and this will create other 400 jobs.”
According to the National Statistical Service of Armenia, Armenia exported leather and fur worth $1,423,900 in Jan-May 2013 – 4.4% year-on-year decline. ---0---
