POTATO CROP YIELD DECLINES BY 30-40% IN ARMENIA THIS YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Dec 27 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 27, NOYAN TAPAN. This year potato crop yield declined
by 30-40% in Armenia, which resulted in a price growth. 400 thousand
tons of potatoes and about the same amount of grain is consumed in
Armenia every year.

Hrach Berberian, Chairman of the Agrarian-Peasant Union of Armenia
(APUA), stated at the December 27 press conference that both bad
weather and low-quality seeds were the cause of the low potato
crop yield. According to him, some farmers preferred to use cheap
seeds and had poor harvest, while the yield of Dutch seeds was much
higher. H. Berberian said that next year the APUA will import 500 tons
of potato seeds from the Netherlands, although this makes small part
of the existing demand. In his words, the state does not control the
chemical pest and weed killers’ market, and out-of-date pest and weed
killers are often imported in Armenia. He noted that in recent years
only nitrogenous fertilizers are imported, which is impermissible as
other fertilizers are necessary for soil as well.