From the point of view of the import of Turkish agricultural products to Armenia, the border with Turkey is open; that is, Turkish goods come to Armenia without hindrance. Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan said this in an interview with Armenian News-NEWS.am, addressing the question of whether it is possible that in the event of the reopening of the Armenian-Turkish border, cheap Turkish agricultural products will be imported into Armenia, and therefore the local producers of Armenia will not be able to withstand that competition.
"Last year, the trade between Armenia and Turkey was more than $300 million, which is a record indicator. It was mainly import, and we mainly imported agricultural products. In 2019-2020, the trade with Turkey was about $200 million. Today there is no ban for these products. Yes, that product comes through Georgia, but still, those are tiny percentages. Today, the [Armenian] government implements many programs that are aimed at increasing agricultural productivity.
“Yes, in general, the productivity of Armenia's economy in 2021 was about $7 per hour of GDP created by one person. It is about seven times less than the average indicator of the 37 countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development [(OECD)]. And productivity in agriculture lags far behind [in Armenia]. If, for example, our difference from developed countries in the IT sector is 3-4 times, then in some industries it is seven times, then in agriculture it is dozens of times. The main problem [in Armenia] is the severe fragmentation of the land and limited access to the water system. The solution of these two issues should be brought about by land enlargement and the development of the water system, which is in our plans," said Kerobyan.