Cement imports into Armenia are at a historically low level, Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan said during a media briefing.
According to the minister, cement imports totaled 59.2 thousand tons in June, before dropping to 49 thousand tons in August. He said the decline is taking place even as domestic demand for cement remains high.
Papoyan said the drop in supplies from Iran, Georgia and Russia is not the result of Russian restrictions or duties. In his assessment, the main issue is that neighboring countries are also seeing strong demand for cement and cannot fully meet the needs of importers.
He also said that queues of thousands of vehicles have formed at the border, preventing importers from bringing in cement in the required volumes.
The minister linked high cement prices on the Armenian market to lower supply volumes caused by strong demand in exporting countries. At the same time, he said construction volumes in Armenia have increased by 25%, and cement demand has risen by the same 25%.
