The agricultural year is considered to be completed in Armenia and it is high time for calculations. The year was full of different problems like natural disasters, poor quality pesticide and seeds, high percentage rates of loans, etc.
Let’s try to understand how the authorities kept their promises on the sales of agricultural products.
Apricot harvest was abundant this year in Armavir marz. As villagers predicted, apricot harvesting became a critical issue. Apricot harvest was about to start and the first buyer named “Spayka” was appeared. The latter agreed to buy apricot in 250 – 400 AMD per kilogram, even distributed boxes for harvest. The villagers started harvesting with much excitement, but “Spayka” workers sorted the apricots and purchased only 15-20 percent of the harvest and promising to return they left.
All other fruits as plum, peach were not purchased and for example plum was not sold even with 30 AMD in the market.
Tomato cultivating farmers predicted that they would face sale problems and signed agreements with factories in advance. In Armavir marz many farmers signed contracts with “MAP” Company. In accordance with the contracts signed, the company had to purchase thousand tons of tomato but in the third day of tomato harvest the company announced about the factory problems and stopped the purchase process.
In Armenia potato purchase was not carried out. In Armavir marz optional part of potatoes were sold in 40-50 AMD per kilogram, and other part was sold as forage in 25-30 AMD. Taking into account the purchase problem many farmers did not carry out any harvest.
Farmers faced grape purchase problems. For example in Armavir marz a new company called “Shahnazaryan” LLC signed contracts with almost 500 farms for grape purchase. It should be purchased in 140 AMD in cash, but the company was mistaken of its calculations and now the latter is in 300 million debts with farmers. The latter demanded specific deadline of payment. “Shahnazaryan” LLC promised to pay all its debts until 1 October. Payment is still being continued.
As in previous years, this year as well farmers’ biggest problem stays the sale of their products.