YEREVAN, JULY 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian Apricot First International Conference started on July 6 in Yerevan on the initiative of the RA Ministry of Agriculture and the RA National Academy of Sciences. David Lokian, the RA Minister of Agriculture, said that the goal of holding the conference is to ensure the apricot's scientific and marketing advertising abroad, as well as to assist businessmen in apricot exporting. In the Minister's words, the Armenian apricot has become Armenia's invitation card, a symbol of friendship, and the cooperation of the RA Ministry of Agriculture with many countries starts with planting apricot gardens in the given country. "Today there are such gardens in China, in Thailand, Iran and Syria," D. Lokian said. He mentioned that this geography should be expanded, presenting our country's "best brand" to the whole world. Samvel Avetisian, the RA Deputy Minister of Agriculture, said that holding of such events will create new possibilities for the promotion of apricot exports. "Currently apricot export potential makes 10-20 thousand tons in average, and up to 30 thousand tons can be exported in favorable years, which also satisfies the domestic demand," the Minister said. In his words, 1000-1500 hectares of new gardens have been planted in Armenia since 2000. Currently their total area is nearly 11 thousand hectares. A business forum under the title "The Phenomenon of Armenian Apricot" will be also held, a film "The Apricot's Significance and Its History" will be shown, trips to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Ashtarak's Surb Tsiranavor Church, as well as visits to apricot gardens and processing factories will be paid for within the framework of the two-day conference.

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