Deputy Ministry: In 2017, within the framework of international assistance programs, the activities were aimed at stimulating the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises of agriculture sphere

ArmInfo. Armenia promotes the  idea of a healthy lifestyle also through the promotion of healthy  nutrition. This was stated by Deputy Minister of Agriculture of  Armenia Armen Harutyunyan on December 19 at a meeting with  journalists. According to him, within the framework of the program  financed by the European Union, with co-financing of the Austrian  Development Agency in 2017, it was possible to double the number of  producers of organic.

According to the Deputy Minister, in 2017, an ambitious program was  implemented in the sphere of agriculture in Armenia with the support  of international organizations. The main emphasis was placed on the  development of organic agriculture. In general, within the framework  of international assistance programs, activities were aimed at  stimulating the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises of the  agriculture sphere.  The goal is to stimulate the growth of  high-value agricultural products and increase agricultural  productivity. The ministry also set a goal to diversify the geography  of export of Armenian agricultural products.

The deputy minister reminded that recently organic and natural  products of 12 Armenian companies were presented for the first time  at the joint pavilion ORGANIC ARMENIA at the specialized exhibition  Organic & Natural Expo Middle East. Participation of Armenian  companies became possible due to the program "Organic Agriculture  Promotion Initiative" (OGAN). Participation in the exhibition,  according to Harutyunyan, became a unique opportunity for Armenian  organic agricultural products - honey, dried fruits, medicinal herbs  and juices to be represented in the Middle East market. For today,  Armenia cannot boast of the volumes and geography of exports.  However, Armenian products labeled "eco" and "bio" have all chances  to become a new and promising direction of the republic's  agriculture, he said.

At present, organic honey is exported to the countries of the EAEU, a  number of EU countries, to China and the UAE. Nevertheless, the  Ministry of Agriculture does not intend to stop there, and in order  to improve the conditions for producers of organic materials, the  responsible for the sphere are working on development of relevant  legislation. With the EU and the Austrian Development Agency, a  program of "Green Agriculture" is being developed, which again will  be aimed at supporting the organic farmer. The Ministry of  Agriculture plans to start the program in 2019. At this stage, as  Armen Harutyunyan pointed out, there is still a problem related to  the awareness of the population. Farmers also, perhaps because of the  lack of awareness, do not show much interest in organizing the  production of organic agricultural products.