BEE-KEEPING SPHERE TO BE REGULATED BY LEGISLATION

Noyan Tapan
Mar 29 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 29, NOYAN TAPAN. A modern laboratory of expert
examination of honey has been created by joint efforts of the RA
Ministry of Agriculture and the Multi Agro scientific-producing
union. Works of being prepared for accreditation as a honey certifying
body are in process at present. Gagik Khachatrian, the RA Deputy
Minister of Agriculture informed about this at the March 28 round
table on the theme “Problems of Food Safety in Armenia” organized
by the “Ailyntrank” (Alternative) research center. According to him,
accreditation will be implemented by an European competent body what
will give a possibility to certify the Armenian honey corresponding to
the EN standards of the European Union and to export it to the EU. Roza
Tsarukian, the Chairwoman of the Multi Agro company mentioned that till
now the Armenian honey certified corresponding to the ISO standards
was exported only to the U.S. According to her, the sphere of honey
production will be regulated in the nearest future, after adopting
the draft “On Bee-Keeping” being in circulation at the RA National
Assembly. R.Tsarukian also mentioned that Multi Agro, winning the
competition announced by the RA Government, undertook allocation of the
bought honey medicines of 9 mln drams (about 20 thousand U.S. dollars)
to bee-keepers of all the marzes of the republic. Besides, Multi Agro
organizes delivery of 1400 families of bees to needy families of the
region of Vardenis, Gegharkunik marz, and Tavush marz. 50% of those
works is already done and the work must be finished on June 28.