YEREVAN, MAY 1, NOYAN TAPAN. Spring sowing started earlier than usual this year due to the unprecedentedly high temperature as compared with the previous years, the RA deputy minister of agriculture Samvel Galstian said at the April 30 press conference. According to him, it is planned to sow 200-205 thousand ha with grain crops instead of the previous 100 thousand ha. He said that the first reproduction of elite barley seeds brought from Ukraine last year will be used for spring sowing. Their average crop yield made 45-50 centners in 2007. In his words, the weather can be considered as favorable for agriculture but if there are no rains in foothills and mountains - along with a rising temperature, the agricultural sector will incur losses. The deputy minister said that no fruit trees or vines were harmed by frost, except for a few early-ripening peach trees and vines. 260 thousand tons of fruit and 218.9 thousand tons of grapes was harvested in 2007, and a 10-12% growth of harvest is expected this year.

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