ArmInfo.Armenia's industrial sector returned to growth in the first half of 2026, posting a 10.8% increase (rebounding from a 12.1% decline the previous year) and total production volume reaching 1.5 trillion drams ($4.1 billion). According to the Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia, this positive annual dynamic was driven by a sharp acceleration in the mining industry and the recovery of manufacturing.
Specifically, the mining sector accelerated its annual growth from 0.6% to 28.9%, generating 361.2 billion drams in the first half of the year. The manufacturing industry, meanwhile, reversed a 19.1% decline to 7.4% growth, reaching 946.7 billion drams for the same period.
High growth rates were demonstrated by chemical production (73.2%), furniture (59.7%), finished metal products (excluding machinery and equipment) (34.2%), metallurgy (32.1%), computers, electronic, and optical equipment (22.6%), and jewelry (17%). The most significant declines were in the production of machinery and equipment (66.2%), coke and refined petroleum products (48.5%), and electrical equipment (13.9%). In the manufacturing sector, the leading output volumes are traditionally food products (290.1 billion drams), metallurgical products (147.7 billion drams), cigarettes (138 billion drams), beverages (106.8 billion drams), and other non-metallic products (67.7 billion drams).
According to statistics, the supply of electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning in the first half of 2026 slowed from 11.5% to 4.5% annually, amounting to 198.7 billion drams. Moreover, the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity during the reporting period increased by 2% annually, while gas production and distribution of gaseous fuels through gas supply systems increased by 15.7%. Revenues from water supply, waste treatment and processing, and secondary raw materials production accelerated in the first half of the year, growing from 1.1% to 4.2% annually, reaching AMD 15.7 billion. Moreover, the upward year-on-year growth in this segment was primarily driven by a 7.9% increase in revenues from wastewater collection and treatment.
Note, the average exchange rate of the dram against the US dollar in January-June 2026 was 374.32 AMD /USD.
