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The interstate motorway Yerevan-Stepanakert is open to traffic. Armenian minister of agriculture, the governor of Ararat province, and other officials met with Ararat residents who held a protest today over the organization of the grape procurement process.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Robert Makaryan told Panorama.am the minister promised farmers that their grapes will be purchased, regardless of quantities.

Robert Makaryan said procurement prices of grape this year will not differ from last year’s prices. “Processing companies having funds will pay winegrowers right away, but organizations currently in financial difficulties will pay according to a schedule,” he noted.

Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan said during a government consultation in August that according to Ministry of Agriculture, an overall grape harvest of 280 thousand tons is expected this year, 196 thousand tons of which will be purchased, but the demand amounted to 160 thousand tons. The prime minister said the government attaches importance to smooth and rapid organization of procurements and is prepared to assist processing companies with procurement of additional amounts of grapes.