SME’S SHARE IN ARMENIA 2009 GDP DO NOT UNDERGO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES

ARKA
Feb 20, 2010

YEREVAN, February 20. /ARKA/. In an exclusive interview with
ARKA, Ishkhan Karapetyan, executive director of Small and Medium
Entrepreneurship Development National Center Fund, said SME’s share
in the GDP in 2008 amounted to 41.7% and to 17.9% in exports.

He said figures for 2009 were being specified, however, according to
provisional data, they did not undergo substantial changes.

He said it is explained by the fact that although some sectors-
construction and mining, particularly, slashed production and sales,
some other sectors, particularly, trade and services, got some
advantages. The IT sector also reported a tangible growth. These are
the sectors in which SME companies are quite active and this is why
last year’s indicators did not change much.

"Our preliminary figures show that the SME share in the country’s
exports contracted a little, conditioned by a certain decline of
foreign trade indicator, but in absolute figures it did not,’ he said.

He cited the data of State Registrar of Enterprises, according to
which as of January 1, 2010 there were 14,326 registered economic
entities, and over 98% were SME, including 2,698 legal entities and
11,628 private entrepreneurs.