ARMENIAN APRICOT YIELD THIS YEAR TO MAKE SOME 40,000 TONS

/ARKA/
25 May, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, May 25. /ARKA/. Hrach Berberian, chairman of a
non-governmental organization defending the interests of farmers,
predicted today that these year apricot growing farmers will gather
as much as last year- 40,000 tons.

Speaking at a news conference the head of the Agrarian-Farming Union,
said his forecast differs from official numbers. He said some 25,000
tons of apricot will be gathered in Ararat valley and 15,000 tons in
other regions.

According to Berberian, the main threat to apricots this year is
fungal diseases that infected trees, mostly in the Ararat valley. He
explained that rainy weather and winds contribute to spread of fungal
diseases. He said the most unfavorable situation with apricot orchards
is in Etchmiadzin, while in the Ararat valley there are both favorable
and unfavorable communities. In general, he said, the Union receives
about 20-30 signals from the farmers daily. As a measure to combat
fungal diseases Berberian suggested aerial spraying of trees with
antifungal drugs.

Armenian farmers had a good crop of apricots in 2009 when they gathered
about 90,000 tons.