RETAIL TRADE FACILTIES OF YEREVAN ENSURE 86.6% OF RETAIL TURNOVER

Noyan Tapan
Aug 09 2006

YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-June 2006, trade conducted
in Armenia’s shops and consumer goods markets accounted for a large
share of retail trade – 77.7% (249 bln 327.7 mln drams or about 567.1
mln USD). According to the RA National Statistical Service, Yerevan’s
retail trade facilities ensured 86.6% of retail trade (277 bln 998.3
mln drams). In January-June 2006, 50.2% of retail trade turnover
(161 bln 228 mln drams) was formed through shops.

46.1% of Armenian shops are specialized in food commodity trade,
42.8% – in nonfood commodity, and 11.1% – in mixed goods sale. Very
small shops (86%) prevailed in the total number of shops included
in statistical monitoring. Their trade turnover made up 29.2%,
while the trade turnover through big shops (ccounting for 1.1%
of the total number of shops) made up 40.9%. In January-June 2006,
the trade turnover at current prices in Armenian consumer markets
amounted to 88 bln 99.7 mln drams, which represents a 3.1% increase
compared with the index of the same period of 2005. The consumer
goods markets registered in Armenia are mainly specialized in
nonfood commodity trade. Particularly, 47 out of the 65 consumer
goods markets are markets specialized in nonfood commodity sale. 18
out of 24 markets in Yerevan, 7 of 8 markets in Shirak marz, 6
out of 7 markets in Gegharkunik marz, 3 of 4 markets in Lori marz,
3 of 7 markets in Kotayk marz, and consumer commodity markets in
Aragatsotn, Ararat and Syunik marzes are specialized in nonfood
commodity sale. The large share of nonfood commodities (86.5%) in
trade conducted in Armenian consumer goods markets is conditioned by
this fact. The volume of Yerevan’s retail trade in January-June 2006
exceeded 2.5fold the average republican index. The economic activity
of the retail markets in other marzes fluctuated from 9.9% to 35%
with respect to the average republican index. As of July 1, 2006,
the commodity resources at Armenian retail trade facilities made 56
bln 925.5 mln drams.

Trade conducted in the agricultural produce markets in January-June
2006 accounted for 3% of the total retail trade or 9 bln 709.2
mln drams.