Armavir farmers protest low purchase prices of apricots

Residents of several rural communities of Armavir province in Armenia blocked the highway to Yerevan this morning, protesting low purchase prices of apricots.

The head of Khanjian community Samvel Avagian told Aysor.am that the apricot harvest amounted to 2,000 tons in the village, adding that their farmers last reaped such a rich harvest in 1991.

In his words, their community was not hit by the May 12 hailstorm in Armavir province. The bumper harvest this year is due to the increased areas planted with apricot trees. Farmers planted more apricot trees in the hope of making money because apricots were exported in the previous years and there was no discontent.

Avagian said that today some private exporters wanted to pay 2,000 AMD for a 12-kg box of apricots. He told Aysor.am that representatives of Spayka Company also came to their village and they will tell their price after they examine the quality of apricots.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture Robert Makarian also visited the Armavir regional administration today to discuss the situation.