By Eva Sahakyan

YEREVAN, July 30–On Thursday  the Armenian Government approved the 2010-2014 seed production development program, aimed at increasing wheat production in Armenia.

According to Gerasim Alaverdian, the Armenian Minister of Agriculture, an estimated 650-720,000 tons of wheat is used every year in Armenia, out of which 180-200,000 tons is grown in Armenia. About 254,000 tons of wheat was produces in Armenia in 2008 and 225,000 tons in 2009, he claimed.

He also mentioned that the level of wheat self-sufficiency in Armenia in 2004-2008 amounted to 37 percent, which, according to world standards, should be 75 percent.

The problem is that wheat price increases can already be noticed in the world market because of this year’s little harvest, caused by drought. The price in Armenia cannot be yet determined, and, according to Alaverdian, cost monitoring is being conducted.

However, the wheat price is not determined by the government, and businessmen in this field are already implementing their price strategies. He mentioned that the best way not to be influenced by world market prices is to increase seed production in Armenia.  The governmental program aims to increase wheat production and wheat self-sufficiency to 55 percent by 2014.

Farm land for wheat production will grow from 82,700 hectares to between 115,000 and 120,000 hectares. The wheat harvest will be increased up to 400,000 tons.

Yerevan Report