CORE BRANCHES CANNOT BE OPPOSED TO ONE ANOTHER

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
17 Sept 04

Recently AA has often touched upon the problems of the agricultural
sector, interviewed leading specialists. This circumstance can only
be praised especially that our country is an agrarian one and the
essential share of the GDP is r eceived from farming. That is to say,
the problems referring to this sphere must be in the center of constant
attention. In the September 2 issue of AA Naira Hayrumian in her
article raised an important question that viticulture in Karabakh is
more profitable than grain production. I would like to mention that it
is not correct to oppose these two traditional branches of the economy
of Artsakh (by the way specialist of agriculture Vladimir Zakiyan
expressed the same opinion in the interview of Nikolay Baghdassarian)
for the simple reason that each of the mentioned branches of farming
have their significance. First, grain production. It has been
assumed that the country is rich and independent when it has large
amounts of bread which may give it economic independence. Besides,
grain production provides a stable development of fodder production
and cattle breeding. During 70 soviet years, and especially in the
1980-1990â^À^Ùs production of grain was paid special attention, seed
farms were created, agricultural works were carried out according to
the schedule under strict control. Sowing 30-33 hectares of land
the farmers of Nagorni Karabakh managed to keep a stable 2,2-2.3
tons of wheat yield per hectare. Annually 60-70 thousand hectares of
grain was produced, and there were years when the yield reached 155
thousand tons. Despite the stable amount of yield the demand for grain
was not satisfied. Annually 75-100 thousand tons of combined fodder
was purchased. Grain does not require much care: water, fertilizers,
chemicals, special agricultural machines, even sunrays, it grows on
any kind of land, even without irrigation. Besides, the technology
of grain production involves only the work of machines. What is more,
the production of grain needs to be expanded taking into account the
implementation of the program by which the population of the republic
is planned to be increased up to 300 thousand. This means that the
production of grain should be tripled, even quadrupled. In the past
there existed a confirmed food program according to which there
was to be produced annually 150 kg of wheat, 100 kg of potatoes and
vegetables, 50 kg of fruit and grapes, 65 kg meat, 300 kg of milk and
dairy products, 150-200 eggs per capita. A major part of the mentioned
foods is based upon grain production. Now viticulture. Of course,
the average yield of grapes is more profitable than that of wheat.
But it is not possible to cultivate vine anywhere (Zakiyan grounded
this in the mentioned interview). Viticulture should not be developed
at the expense of grain production but viticulture should be in the
center of attention as well. Especially that in the village Khramort
phylloxera-resistant vine is bred. Only the new vineyards should be
planted at those places where people were occupied in this for decades
and have acquired necessary skills. Here, of course, the government has
to deal with the matter seriously. Improvement of the loaning programs,
supply of seeds, fertilizers, chemicals, machines, technologies will
provide a firm basis for the stable development of agriculture.

EDWARD GASPARIAN. 17-09-2004