PREMIER: AGRICULTURE MAKES 30 PERCENT OF ARMENIAN GDP

ARKA
Sep 30, 2008

YEREVAN, September 30. /ARKA/. On Tuesday, Armenian Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan, speaking at Armagroforum-Fruitful Armenia
international conference, said agriculture makes 30 percent of
Armenian GDP.

He said that Armenia was one of the first former soviet republics to
launch comprehensive agricultural reforms.

The premier said that the first land privatization program was worked
out in 1991.

As a result, thousands of farms have emerged. Now, developing
agriculture puts forward new objectives.

"The future role of agriculture in the national economy depends on
how we assume long-term prospects of its development", Sargsyan said.

He said that the agriculture sector faces grave problems.

The prime minister said that thousands of farms spread all over
the country.

Many of them are located in mountainous terrain. They have problems
with irrigation and infrastructures.

Tigran Sargsyan thinks that greater attention should be paid to
infrastructures, but this needs investments.

He also said that higher productivity is needed amid growing prices
for agricultural products.

"If we build up productivity, it will become possible to consider way
for merging small farms and thinking over the future for rural areas",
he said.

The premier also pointed out the necessity to cooperate with other
countries and use their experience.

He said that do mestic agriculture is heavily impacted by developments
on world markets.

Sargsyan said that expects experts are expected to voice their views
on the issues raised by the Government at this conference.

Armenia has 330 farms, and 46% of the country’s population works in
agriculture sector.

The conference was launched on Tuesday and is to be wrapped up on
Thursday.

Experts from France, Argentina, Italy, Morocco, Columbia and other
countries attend the conference.