Drought may damage crops in Armenia - Berberyan
21.07.2015,
14:49
Dry weather in Armenia may damage potato, wheat and cabbage crops, Hrachya Berberyan, the head of Armenia's Farmers' Union, told journalists on Tuesday.
YEREVAN, July 21. /ARKA/. Dry weather in Armenia may damage potato, wheat and cabbage crops, Hrachya Berberyan, the head of Armenia's Farmers' Union, told journalists on Tuesday.
«We are deeply concerned over the ongoing dry weather that began 45 days ago,» he said. «Scant rains have no impacts. If weather doesn't change soon, this will jeopardize potato, wheat and cabbage crops.»
Berberyan said that the union had conducted a study in Shirak province and found that the drought had already damaged potato seed tubers.
He said he had repeatedly asked the agriculture ministry to improve irrigation infrastructures in the country, but his request remains unanswered.
«The irrigation system in the country is monopolized and we are constantly struggling against this,» Berberyan said. «We know that there is water in water reservoirs, though we are told the opposite. That is why we appealed to the agriculture minister asking him to implement reforms in irrigation system as soon as possible.»
However, 2015 is a good year for Armenia as a whole – peaches and apricots are abundant and a good crop of grapes is expected.
According to the agriculture ministry's reports, 691,400 tons of potatoes and 8,000 apricots were gathered in Armenia in 2014 against 660,500 tons and 88,800 respectively in 2013. ---0-----
«We are deeply concerned over the ongoing dry weather that began 45 days ago,» he said. «Scant rains have no impacts. If weather doesn't change soon, this will jeopardize potato, wheat and cabbage crops.»
Berberyan said that the union had conducted a study in Shirak province and found that the drought had already damaged potato seed tubers.
He said he had repeatedly asked the agriculture ministry to improve irrigation infrastructures in the country, but his request remains unanswered.
«The irrigation system in the country is monopolized and we are constantly struggling against this,» Berberyan said. «We know that there is water in water reservoirs, though we are told the opposite. That is why we appealed to the agriculture minister asking him to implement reforms in irrigation system as soon as possible.»
However, 2015 is a good year for Armenia as a whole – peaches and apricots are abundant and a good crop of grapes is expected.
According to the agriculture ministry's reports, 691,400 tons of potatoes and 8,000 apricots were gathered in Armenia in 2014 against 660,500 tons and 88,800 respectively in 2013. ---0-----
