POTATO CROP YIELD DECLINES BY 30-40% IN ARMENIA THIS YEAR
27-12-2006 15:47:00 | Armenia | Economy
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 27, NOYAN TAPAN. This year potato crop
yield declined by 30-40% in Armenia, which resulted in a price
growth. 400 thousand tons of potatoes and about the same amount
of grain is consumed in Armenia every year. Hrach Berberian,
Chairman of the Agrarian-Peasant Union of Armenia (APUA), stated
at the December 27 press conference that both bad weather and
low-quality seeds were the cause of the low potato crop yield.
According to him, some farmers preferred to use cheap seeds and
had poor harvest, while the yield of Dutch seeds was much
higher.
H. Berberian said that next year the APUA will import 500
tons of potato seeds from the Netherlands, although this makes
small part of the existing demand.
In his words, the state does not control the chemical pest
and weed killers' market, and out-of-date pest and weed killers
are often imported in Armenia. He noted that in recent years
only nitrogenous fertilizers are imported, which is
impermissible as other fertilizers are necessary for soil as
well.