Armenia receives 1,010 metric tons of elite wheat seeds from Russia
01.10.2010,
23:36
Armenia has received 1,010 metric tons of elite wheat seeds from Russia, agricultural minister Gerasim Alaverdian told reporters today.
YEREVAN, October 1, /ARKA/. Armenia has received 1,010 metric tons of elite wheat seeds from Russia, agricultural minister Gerasim Alaverdian told reporters today.
He said the country will He In July the government pledged to ease the country’s heavy dependence on wheat imports in the next few years by supplying local farmers with new sorts of seeds meant to boost their yields. To that end the government allocated 558 million Drams ($1.5 million) for the purchase of 1,000 tons of “elite” seeds this year.
Officials say Armenian farmers should be able to meet more than half of the demand already in 2013, when domestic wheat production is expected to rise to 350,000 tons. Armenia annually consumes between 650,000 and 720,000 tons of food grains and relies on import for nearly two thirds of its grain consumption. It is estimated that annually Armenia imports around 440,000 tons of wheat.
According to the minister, by 2014 Armenia will have 3,5000 tons of elite wheat seeds that will be distributed among farmers. He said the wheat has arrived from the Russian province of Stavropol and will be distributed to about 1000 large wheat growing farms, which have committed to give back twice as much next year. He said the elite seed was bought at one USD per one kg and that was the reason why it will be distributed to large farms that have more capacities to get high quality crops. -0-
He said the country will He In July the government pledged to ease the country’s heavy dependence on wheat imports in the next few years by supplying local farmers with new sorts of seeds meant to boost their yields. To that end the government allocated 558 million Drams ($1.5 million) for the purchase of 1,000 tons of “elite” seeds this year.
Officials say Armenian farmers should be able to meet more than half of the demand already in 2013, when domestic wheat production is expected to rise to 350,000 tons. Armenia annually consumes between 650,000 and 720,000 tons of food grains and relies on import for nearly two thirds of its grain consumption. It is estimated that annually Armenia imports around 440,000 tons of wheat.
According to the minister, by 2014 Armenia will have 3,5000 tons of elite wheat seeds that will be distributed among farmers. He said the wheat has arrived from the Russian province of Stavropol and will be distributed to about 1000 large wheat growing farms, which have committed to give back twice as much next year. He said the elite seed was bought at one USD per one kg and that was the reason why it will be distributed to large farms that have more capacities to get high quality crops. -0-
