Armenian rose exports to Georgia unlikely to offset loss of Russian market, expert says

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced during a recent campaign stop in Gegharkunik Province that the first shipment of roses produced in Armenia had been successfully exported to Georgia.

However, agricultural producer Harutyun Mnatsakanyan on Wednesday questioned whether the Georgian market has the capacity to absorb significant volumes of Armenian flower exports displaced by the Russian ban.

“The most likely scenario is that Armenian flowers will be re-exported from Georgia under Georgian certificates of origin, because the Georgian market is not large enough to sell such quantities of roses,” Mnatsakanyan told Panorama.am. “There is also another possibility: the government could stage a public relations campaign by purchasing a few truckloads of roses, sending them to Georgia, and then presenting the move as a major export breakthrough.”

Georgia imported approximately $16 million worth of flowers in 2025, a 40% increase from the previous year. Ecuador was the country's largest supplier, followed by Armenia and the Netherlands. At the same time, Georgia exported only about $50,000 worth of flowers, primarily to Ukraine and Azerbaijan, according to trade data.

If Georgia were to serve as a re-export hub for Armenian flowers, the products would likely be shipped onward to markets such as Azerbaijan and Ukraine, according to Mnatsakanyan.

Armenia's flower exports have grown more than elevenfold over the past decade, rising from $4.8 million in 2016 to a record $53.6 million in 2025.

Russia remains by far the largest destination for Armenian flowers. Last year, exports to Russia generated approximately $46 million, accounting for 94% of Armenia’s flower export revenue. Georgia ranked a distant second, purchasing approximately $2.3 million worth of flowers, while Kazakhstan imported about $514,900.

Other export destinations included the United Arab Emirates, with imports valued at $166,700, and Belarus, at $61,600.

Analysts note that Georgia’s $16 million flower market is too small to absorb the volume of Armenian flowers previously sold to Russia, raising questions about alternative export destinations.