15th INTERNATIONAL APRICOT SYMPOSIUM TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA

NOYAN TAPAN

JU LY 2

The 14th International Apricot Symposium was held on June 15-21 in
the city of Matera, Italy on the initiative of the International
Organization of Gardeners. Representatives of the RA Ministry
of Agriculture also took part in it. As Samvel Avetisian, the RA
Deputy Minister of Agriculture, said at the July 2 press conference,
Armenian apricot took the first place with its taste properties at
the exhibition organized within the framework of the symposium. At
the same time it was decided that the 15th Apricot Symposium will be
held in Armenia.

According to S. Avetisian, there are special standards for apricot
worked out in the European Union, and Armenian apricot should be
brought in line with them. In the Deputy Minister’s words, according
to these standards, not only fruit’s taste property, but also color,
preservation term, fruit’s size are important: Armenian apricot is
inferior in that respect. The Deputy Minister said that when buying
fruit Europeans first of all look at its appearance and not taste:
in particular, reddish apricot is evaluated rather highly on the
international market.

S. Avetisian said that it is envisaged to cooperate with
international centers engaged in apricot cultivation technologies
before symposium’s organization to find new ways of cultivation of
Armenian apricot. According to the Deputy Minister, though Armenia is
considered the homeland of apricot, "we do not know how to cultivate
apricots today." According to him, apricot trees being high-trunk
do not give a possibility for the fruit to develop proportionately,
which brings to losses. And dwarf trees are planted in Europe, the
height of which does not exceed 2-2.5 meters, the sun completely
penetrates into the tree and the fruit develops proportionately.

Besides, gardens are coated with a net there, as a result of which
trees are protected from hail and frostbite. S. Avetisian said that
they have already applied to UN FAO with the request of providing
assistance for planting dwarf gardens and introduction of new
technologies in Armenia.