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Villagers today cultivate their lands as much as their possibilities allow, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Garnik  Petrosyan told Panorama.am, adding that in current situation  one should expect  neither rich harvest, nor quality products. 

«The quality of the agricultural products is of utmost importance. We should try to get products which would be competitive at international markets both on quality and taste parameters,’’ the Deputy Minister noted.
According to him, one precondition to get such product is through proper fertilization of the soil, yet the statistics show that volumes of fertilizer prices have significantly declined.

Petrosyan recalls the Soviet times, when 120k tones of phosphorus fertilizers were spent yet the number today declined for several times.

‘’Ministry of Agriculture imports several thousand tones of phosphorus fertilizers, which are chеаper compared with the market prices with one bag amounting to 7 000 AMD. The consumption is quite low, and even 2-3 thousand tones are not consumed today,’’ the official said.

The reason for that is the high demand for fertilizers, Petrosyan says, though villagers are not able to buy it. Therefore, the state subsidies the agricultural loans, providing an opportunity to villagers to take loans at 8% instead of the usual 14%. 

“The state allocates some 1 bln 163 mln AMDs subsidiary which is serous amount, although not enough.
Petrosyan then recalls the European experience of receiving rich harvest.

“Armenia still employs the methods which were practiced 100-200 years ago, yet today’s life has progressed and intensive parks are created.” “Under usual circumstances 200 apricot trees are planted in 1 – hectare area, while in European countries the number is twofold, threefold and even - fivefold. The trees are lower making the harvest and cultivation works easier. That is the way, according to him, the quality product is produced.

However, the Deputy Minister admits that the implementation of such programs requires serous funds.