Information for fruit and vegetables business in CIS
Armenia will not face a problem with selling of grapes
Armenia will not face a problem with selling of grapes, and agreements with major purchasers are already accomplished, - Minister of Agriculture, Gerasim Alaverdyan, told journalists on Monday.
“We have already held meetings with all processing enterprises. Minimum purchasing price of grapes is established at the rate of 120 AMD (0.26 EUR). We have already known, when and at what price purchases will be executed in Ararat and Armavir provinces”, - Minister said.
Armenian grape growers are seriously worried of failure to sell grapes to processing enterprises. According to Ministry of Agriculture of Armenia, in 2010, grape harvest in the country will be of 210-215 thousand tonnes, comparatively to 185 thousand tonnes in the previous year. Experts predict only 60-65 thousand tonnes may be sold to processing enterprises.
Mr. Alaverdyan noticed that problems are solved in Ararat and Armavir provinces, as well as other provinces where large grape harvest is observed. Particularly, in the city of Armavir, where farmers grew 51 thousand tonnes of grapes, and concrete agreements with organizations about purchase volumes are concluded.
He also informed that processing enterprises get themselves out of the previous year debts to farmers for purchased grapes. According to Alaverdyan, two companies in Ararat province had debts of 3-4 mln. AMD (about 6-9 thousand EUR), but had already complied with their commitments.