Head of agricultural organization warns of price rise
08.10.2018,
17:36
Hrachya Berberyan, the head of an Armenian public organization, engaged in protection of farmers’ interests, told a news conference today that according to the Ministry of Agriculture, the area under crops in the country has decreased by 6,450 hectares, of which 1,730 hectares were land under tomatoes.
YEREVAN, October 8. /ARKA/. Hrachya Berberyan, the head of an Armenian public organization, engaged in protection of farmers’ interests, told a news conference today that according to the Ministry of Agriculture, the area under crops in the country has decreased by 6,450 hectares, of which 1,730 hectares were land under tomatoes.
Berberyan disagreed with the ministry’s arguments that the decrease was caused by severe heat in summer, citing village heads who unequivocally state that it was caused by potato moth that causes serious damage also to tomatoes, tobacco and eggplant.
Berberyan explains the reluctance of the ministry to help farmers fight the potato moth by the interests of some oligarchs, who do not want farmers to sell their products to canneries at low price.
"Oligarchs in Armenia have built several large greenhouses that sell tomatoes at the wholesale price of 250 drams per kg, while farmers can sell their tomatoes for 30-40 drams per kg," Berberyan claimed. Berberyan warned also that that potato price can rise up to 300 drams per kg.
"If the government entrusts us with the fight against potato moth, in one or two years it will be possible to recover the lost 7-8 thousand hectares and increase production," Berberyan said.
Concerning meat price Berberyan said Armenia now exports meat from Belarus, thereby softening to some extent the rise in prices, however, the rise in prices for locally produced meat is inevitable due to the lack of a sufficient number of livestock. ($ 1 - AMD 485.51). -0-
Berberyan disagreed with the ministry’s arguments that the decrease was caused by severe heat in summer, citing village heads who unequivocally state that it was caused by potato moth that causes serious damage also to tomatoes, tobacco and eggplant.
Berberyan explains the reluctance of the ministry to help farmers fight the potato moth by the interests of some oligarchs, who do not want farmers to sell their products to canneries at low price.
"Oligarchs in Armenia have built several large greenhouses that sell tomatoes at the wholesale price of 250 drams per kg, while farmers can sell their tomatoes for 30-40 drams per kg," Berberyan claimed. Berberyan warned also that that potato price can rise up to 300 drams per kg.
"If the government entrusts us with the fight against potato moth, in one or two years it will be possible to recover the lost 7-8 thousand hectares and increase production," Berberyan said.
Concerning meat price Berberyan said Armenia now exports meat from Belarus, thereby softening to some extent the rise in prices, however, the rise in prices for locally produced meat is inevitable due to the lack of a sufficient number of livestock. ($ 1 - AMD 485.51). -0-
