ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT WORKING ON NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR AGRARIAN DEVELOPMENT
ARKA
July 18
Armenian Ministry of Agriculture is working out a national program to
develop the country’s agrarian sector and increase self-sufficiency
in major food product lines, First Deputy Agriculture Minister Samvel
Avetisyan reported.
"The national program aims to find out the possible ways to increase
our self-sufficiency bringing it closer to international standards,
which means we must produce at least 75% of Armenia’s wheat demand,"
he said.
Avetisyan said currently Armenia produces 350,000 tons of wheat which
meets only 35%-40% local needs.
The deputy minister said using 60%-65% land under grain crops is
economically inefficient, since little profit is yielded from
one hectare of grain especially given the low crop capacity in
Armenia. However, farmers choose the easier way and go on cultivating
grain, he said.
According to the deputy minister, the major task of the national
program is to increase local production of strategic agricultural
products – wheat, sugar, vegetable oil, meat and rice.