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Industry and agriculture sectors in the government report and its

April 16, 2026

Government 2021-2026 In the report on the progress and results of the 2025 implementation of the activity plan, there are two more noteworthy and at the same time worrying records, which refer to the main key sectors of the export sector of the economy: industry and agriculture.

On page 22 of the report it is written: “In the January-December period of 2025, the volume of industrial output was about 3.3 trillion AMD, increasing by 329.4 billion AMD or 4.7% compared to about 3 trillion AMD in the same period of 2024.

… The number of workers in the manufacturing sector in 2025 was 94,998, an increase of 4,148 or 4.6% compared to 90,850 workers in 2024.”

Here again, the government has avoided answering the most important question: what is structurally happening to the sector, instead simply trying to create an imitation of positive dynamics. In particular, the key indicator, the weight of the manufacturing industry in the GDP, was bypassed in the report. Meanwhile, this is one of the main targets set by the government’s plan, namely to increase the weight of the manufacturing industry in the GDP to 15% by 2026. However, the actual picture shows the opposite. If the weight of the processing industry was 12.4% in 2020, it will decrease to 11% in 2025. In other words, not only is there no progress, but there has also been a regression. And, taking into account the current dynamics of the sector, expecting a sharp increase during 2026 is simply not realistic. This means that the 15% target set by the government program will most likely not be met.

This picture suggests that the “growth” presented in the industrial sector does not translate into structural change, the real role of the sector in the economy is decreasing. This is a simple indicator of the failure of economic policy.

The condition of the agricultural sector is equally, if not more, worrying. Despite a number of large-scale projects implemented by the government in the field of agriculture – establishment of new gardens, expansion of cultivated land, promotion of livestock breeding, increase of general productivity – the main emphasis in the report is not on results, but on processes. For example, it mentions the increase in hectares of established orchards, but does not say what this has done in terms of actual output.

Meanwhile, according to statistics, the picture is much clearer. 2018-2023 agriculture registered a cumulative decline of around 18.9%. Although in 2024-2025 there are some positive developments, they have not changed the general picture. As a result, in 2025 as of now, the output of the agricultural sector is still around 13.3% lower than in 2017. level (see diagram below).

Naturally, there is no emphasis on these facts in the report. Instead it states that “1,365 ha intensive park has been established. It is noteworthy that the actual planting of gardens within the framework of the program started in 2019: 37 hectares, compared to which the figure for 2025 has increased by about 37 times. In 2025, compared to 2024, the increase was 9.7%. From the start of the project, from 2018 to 2025 inclusive, 4,635 hectares of intensive gardens have been established.”

It turns out a strange situation. the sector has been in serious trouble for a long time, but unique successful projects are presented, only “convenient” numbers are raised: hectares, percentages, job growth, thereby trying to influence the formation of the general picture.

In summary, the economy faces structural problems, but the government presents to the public an image of a controlled and successful process. However, the longer the government hides the reality with formulations, the deeper the crisis that exists in reality will deepen. And the price for this will be paid not by the writers of the report, but by the economy, and ultimately every citizen of the country.

Arsine Chaltikian:
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