Gerasim Alaverdyan: sharp increase in prices for agricultural products unlikely in Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian Minister of Agriculture Gerasim Alaverdyan said that the Ministry is implementing a monitoring in the country’s regions to define the damage caused to harvest by natural and climatic conditions. Its results will be submitted to the Armenian government to take relevant measures, Alaverdyan told a press conference in Yerevan on June 2.

According to Alaverdyan, natural disasters and abundant precipitation, including hail, have affected the works implemented in the country’s agriculture. Armavir, Shirak, Lori and Vayots Dzor regions of the country have suffered most of all.

The Minister noted that the damage caused to the country’s agriculture amounted to AMD 12bln in 2009.

The Minister added that grain crops have already been seeded at 87731ha that is 3000ha higher as compared with the same period of 2009.

85,000 tons of apricots were picked up in 2009, while this index will be 30-40% lower this year. According to Alaverdyan, Armenia will face problems with meeting the demand of internal market this year.

However, the Minister said that sharp increase in prices for agricultural products is unlikely. “There is inflation in the country, but it is controlled by the authorities,” said Alaverdyan, adding that, nevertheless, “the market defines prices.”

Alaverdyan said that currently there are problems related to harvest viability, as epidemics of several diseases are already observed, including among grain crops. The Minister added that relevant measures are undertaken: required pesticides are available in all agricultural shops and if they are used appropriately and in time, it will allow preserving the obtained harvest.