Work Instead of Boycotting
It’s difficult to definitely state why at this very moment rejection of Turkish products has become the main economic issue. Those raising the issue, probably hope that public perception of April war will be helpful. However, this is not the first attempt of organizing a public boycott against Turkish production. If I’m not mistaken, the first attempt was in the period of 1998-2000.
After the ceasefire, our economy was extending little by little. Local producers needed support, and the “Support ourselves—purchase local production” movement was launched. Then it turned out, that leader of the movement—one of the big confectionery producing companies, imports from dried fruits to cardboard containers exactly from Turkey. Then our local market was washed by Turkish construction materials. A real construction boom was recorded. Particularly in Yerevan. And apartment buildings appeared in the capital, purchase of which was accompanied by the advertisement “During the construction of this building construction materials of Turkish production haven’t been used.”
Then with years, the more boycott-struggle was intensifying with years, the more import volumes of Turkish production were growing. In 2007—at the peak of construction boom, imports from Turkey for the first time crossed the USD 100 million border. Instead of USD 98 million in 2006, production by total USD 134 million was imported.
In the forthcoming years this indicator was repeatedly exceeded. However, the necessity of boycotting production of the neighboring country has always been touched upon. Currently, not giving a turn to one another, media outlets attempt to get grounded opinions by economists for a boycott. Work of economists is rather hard. Everybody knows, that import volumes for Armenia in the country’s export, is lower than 1%. Thus, the proposal of substituting Turkish products by the locals in internal market was set forward. It sounds logic and noble in itself. Really, “Why should we import from Turkey, if we can produce for ourselves?”
However, an essential issue rises here, “What do we import from Turkey?” It turned out, that washing and cleaning means and citrus fruits are in the lead. Armenia didn’t have production of washing means even in the soviet period. In those very years, when “Small Armenia was declared a country of big chemistry.” As confidently you’ll decide substituting Turkish citrus fruits by local ones, the bigger will be, for instance, import of pomegranate. In winter, Armenia’s consumers and media outlets were surprised by seeing imported pomegranate. Nobody dared to announce or adopt the reality. In 2015 Russia closed its market before Turkish products and some part of the pomegranate produced for export to Russia, appeared in our market.
Instead, again calls for boycotting Turkish products became quite modern, on the basis of which there is no any economic calculation-grounding. Under this geo-political condition it may be perceived another step not for itself, but for interests of our sworn friend—Russia. For instance, I was mostly touched by the statement of the head of Armenia’s Consumers’ Association, that “Not buying Turkish products is a matter of dignity.” This means, the issue moves from economic field to the moral one, where any argument may be stated as immoral and anti-national.
Meanwhile our media outlets joyfully spread news by Russian press, that due to lack of tourists in Antalya, 130 hotels have been offered for sale, other news should be read as well. Read and think of making use of their economic implications. Together with other products Russia closed its market before Turkish jewelry making as well, defining big customs duties. For this reason, hard situation has been created in the well-known market of Istanbul. The press reports, that jewelers of Istanbul are moving their business to Iran, hoping that jewelry exported from that country won’t come across with additional obstacles on Russian border. Any person, who has been in the sector of jewelry shops of Istanbul, will say that shops of Armenians in Istanbul are numerous. From the standpoint of economic, national and simple logic, it would be rather reasonable to provide the opportunity to Armenian businessmen to move to Armenia instead of Iran. However, this, as compared to patriotic speeches, requires daily work.
By Ara Galoyan
