The annual production of grains in Armenia totals 360 thousand tons while the demand exceeds 700 thousand tons, with 120 thousand ha remaining uncultivated, said Vazgen Safaryan, head of the committee on financial and economic affairs at the RA Public Council.

“Farmers have to pay for irrigation water, although the government could exempt the residents of near-border regions from taxes. We want to make money on everything. However, the state should make investments in agriculture to get results,” Safaryan said, adding that IMF recipes are not acceptable Armenia.

As to prices for potato, he said the rise in prices may be avoided only in case a certain amount of potato is imported.