Armenia’s government has initiated the process of creating an agricultural exchange, Agriculture Minister Gegham Gevorgyan, has stated. ‘Imagine a large facility with refrigerators, scales and other infrastructures that will help establish a connection between sellers and buyers," he said.
According to the minister, the exchange will be a platform which, among other things, will help get rid of intermediaries. “The farmer says he sells his tomatoes at 500 drams (€0.90) per kilo, but when they reach stores they are sold at 1,700 drams (€3.09). The result is that both farmers and consumers are dissatisfied.”
Gevorgyan said to that end enterprises and cooperatives will be subsidized in the regions, which will allow the farms to preserve their crop surplus and sell it at higher prices in off-season periods. He said the location of the exchange is currently not defined.
The minister said also that the ministry is elaborating a draft law on the mandatory lease of non-used arable land. "It’s no secret that about 40% of arable land is not used for one reason or another – either it is not profitable or their owners are outside the country," he said. According to the minister, an inventory of land should be conducted to reveal the reasons for not cultivating land.
"We do not seek to deprive someone of property rights. The owner of the land plot will not change, but if it is not used, it must be leased," he said. According to Gevorgyan, the draft law calls also for consolidation of separate plots of land via exchange between owners. Gevorgyan thinks the bill is likely to be sent for parliament’s consideration in November.
Source: arka.am