FIRST EPIDEMIOLOGICAL, DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORY FOR SURVEILLANCE OF PESTICIDES IN FOODSTUFFS OPENED IN YEREVAN
ARKA
Nov 26, 2008
YEREVAN, November 26. /ARKA/. The first epidemiological and diagnostic
laboratory for surveillance of pesticides in imported foodstuffs in
Armenia was opened in the National Veterinary and Diagnostic Center
in Yerevan Tuesday.
The laboratory was set under support of the Greek government that
invested 220,000 Euros in the project.
Armenian Premier Tigran Sargsyan, Minister of Agriculture Aramayis
Grigoryan, Greek Ambassador to Armenia Ioannis Korintios were present
at the opening ceremony.
The laboratory will allow maintaining control over 38 sorts of
pesticides now and over 70 kinds of pesticides as from January 2009,
which is a normal indicator, Director of the National Veterinary and
Diagnostic Center Hovhannes Hakobyan said.
The Premier welcomed the opening of the laboratory and stressed its
importance for agricultural sector of Armenia. The government intends
to raise the share of agriculture in the Gross Domestic Product next
year. He also pointed out that the laboratory will help increase
private investments in agriculture as the population will be aware
of the quality of consumed foodstuffs.
The Minister of Agriculture reported other projects implemented in
cooperation with the Greek government, particularly on construction
of slaughter-houses and purchase of new equipment for the laboratory.
The Ambassador of Greece to Armeni a Ioannis Korintios stressed the
importance of strengthening Armenia-Greece economic ties. Sargsyan,
in his turn, expressed his gratitude to the Greek government for the
financial assistance and pointed out importance of expanding economic
relations between the two friendly countries.