Republican Party of Armenia

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan visited Shirak Marz to get acquainted with the agricultural activities implemented at Gyumri Selection Station JSC in 2011-2012.

The head of government called at grain harvest and experimental sowing sites for agricultural crops, toured the station and the agricultural laboratory familiarizing himself with the manufacturing process and working conditions. Gyumri Selection Station JSC Director Rubik Karakhanyan briefed the Prime Minister on the ongoing activities.

Following the tour, the Prime Minister held a working meeting with participation of cabinet members and marz governors at which he stated in part: “Gyumri Selection Station’s establishment and development is essential to our nationwide program of wheat seed modernization.”

Reporting on the progress and outcome of the agricultural crop grading tests, the Gyumri Selection Station Director informed that his company is cooperating with the world’s best IKARDA, SIMMIT companies and Russian, Ukrainian and Croatian centers.

He said that the Gyumri Selection Station deals with grain crops (winter, spring wheat, barley), perennial herbs (alfalfa etc), vegetable crops (cabbage, carrot, table beet), cereals ( beans, lentils, peas), as well as other field crops.

The expected gross yield of grain crops for 2012 is 940 tons as compared with 710 tons of 2011. Tigran Sargsyan told the Minister of Agriculture to have the high-reproduction seeds distributed equally among eligible economic entities.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture Samvel Galstyan reported on the quantities requested by individual marzes concerning the first reproduction and spring wheat, spring barley, corn, clover, seeds, fertilizer and diesel fuel needs for the fall of 2012 and 2013.

The meeting has also discussed details of marketing, prices and quantities of the fertilizers produced by Vanadzor Chemprom Ltd under an arrangement signed between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources as reported by Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan.

Summarizing the discussion, the Prime Minister instructed the Ministry of Agriculture to look into the stated problems with corresponding experts and submit proposals for their solution.