Armenian meat traders put politics aside
Despite ongoing political disputes between Armenia and Turkey, Armenia has decided to extend its trade with Turkey relating to meat and raw hides.
According to industry representatives, Armenian exporters are happy to ship red meat to Turkey, and that business and politics are too very separate fields.
Vladimir Galstyan, president of the Armenian Sector Union of Farmers and Tanners, pointed out that his company exported 120,000 live cattle to Iran last year, so it believes there should be no qualms when it comes to exporting to Turkey. Others are calling for the border between the two countries to be opened in order to facilitate meat trade.
The Turkish government has temporarily relaxed its tax on livestock imports from 135% to 40% until the end of the year in order to combat the problem of high red meat prices in the country.
Armenia already exports aorund 250 tonnes of rawhide to Turkey through Russia and Georgia and imports 25% of its processed leather from Turkey.
