A wool processing plant to be established in Amasia city of Shirak region

ArmInfo. In the city of Amasia,  Shirak region of Armenia will be established a wool processing plant.  The RA Minister of Agriculture Artur Khachatryan participated in the  launch ceremony of the program.

The project, the press service of the RA Ministry of Agriculture  reports, will be implemented within the framework of the program  "European Union of Shirak region: new jobs due to the production of  wool." The head of the EU delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Piotr  Switalski, Minister of Territorial Administration and Development of  the Republic of Armenia Suren Papikyan, and other officials took part  in the event.

According to Artur Khachatryan, the implementation of the program  will restore the culture of carpet weaving, create jobs not in the  sphere of agriculture, diversify the incomes of the population, and  lead to the development of sheep breeding. "In Soviet times, there  were 2.2 million sheep in Armenia, now this figure has decreased 4-5  times, but the sheep industry is very profitable, and if we can  create the infrastructure, improve the feed base, and provide the  right assistance, we will are created as large farms, and house  economies will be developed, which, in turn, will lead to an increase  in the number of small cattle, "the minister stressed.

He noted that Shirak region was one of the centers of sheep breeding  and, if the program succeeds, it can become a good model, which can  be applied in other areas of Armenia.

In his turn, Suren Papikyan noted that the Ministry of Territorial  Administration and Development attaches importance to the  proportional development of the regions of the country and since 2009  is in constant dialogue with the EU. The goal of cooperation is to  ensure programs and projects that are approved by their territorial  development priorities, and whose application will lead to effective  and stable results.

"As we know, we work in all areas, but are focused on the Shirak  region, we chose Amazia, which has a beautiful landscape, beautiful  nature, but which, unfortunately, is far from the main trade routes,  as well as from the markets," said the head of the EU delegation in  Armenia, Ambassador Piotr Switalski.

The factory for the processing of wool, which is planned to operate  before the fall, will soon begin repair work. According to  preliminary calculations, the company will create 23 workplaces with  the possibility of increasing this amount in the future.

The program is implemented by the Armenian representation of the  organization "Man in Need," the community administration of Amasia,  the Shirak Chamber of Commerce and the company VINNET Armenia.

Previously, ArmInfo informed that the EU provided Armenia with a  grant of 1 million euros for the implementation of the project.