YEREVAN, MARCH 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian government has initiated two programs aimed at supplying the country with grain. According to the RA minister of agriculture Davit Lokian, one program envisages starting production of corn in Armenia, while by the other program it is expected to fully supply Armenia with wheat of own production in the near future. Under the first program, the goverment has proposed cultivating fodder corn in Tavush and Lori marzes: villages with 50 and more hectares sown with corn will receive subsidies. Such villages will also get privileges in terms of crop sale. So far preliminary agreements have been prepared for 15 thousand ha. The other program of the government envisages a sharp increase in wheat production in Armenia in order to deal with the problem of growing wheat prices in international market. D. Lokian said that the domestic demand for wheat makes at least 450 thousand tons a year, including 370 thousand tons for bread, whereas only 180 thousand tons is produced. The government plans to encourage wheat production so that up to 150 thousand ha will be sown with wheat in the country and the crop yield of one hectare will increase from the current 25 centners to 30 centners. For this purpose the government envisages importing high-quality seeds, set up local production of such seeds and provide subsidies to wheat producers. Besides, the government envisages to give guarantees for the purchase of crops at quite high prices. In the words of the minister, it is possible to achieve wheat self-sufficiency in 2010. D. Lokian said that this year additional amounts of fertilizer will be given to farms which have not been provided with fertilizer on time.

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