The RA Minister of Economy Tigran Khachatryan and the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Artsakh Ashot Bakhshiyan in Kotayk Marz visited the greenhouse of “Ecoberi” company engaged in strawberry production, where strawberries are grown hydroponically.

Accompanied by the company’s founding director Dmitry Alexeyenko, the guests toured the greenhouse, got acquainted with the modern equipment installed here, as well as the company’s future investment programs. The director informed that the berries processed in the company are sold both in the domestic and foreign markets. Based on the current demand, it is planned to build another greenhouse in the near future, and preliminary agreements on sale have already been obtained.

During the tour, the officials discussed with the company director the programs currently operating in the field of greenhouse construction in Armenia and presented the privileges provided to the business entities engaged in the field. They also referred to the development of greenhouses construction in Artsakh and opportunities for attracting investments from Armenia for this activity.

“In the field of plant cultivation and animal breeding, we have already outlined the directions that we must improve this year through mutual discussions. One of the successes in the field of plant cultivation, which we want to present to our partners from Artsakh, is the greenhouse farms, which turned to be quite successful in Armenia. We want to convey our enthusiasm to our partners in Artsakh and persuade our business organizations to continue developing their activities in Artsakh as well,” Tigran Khachatryan noted.

Afterwards the officials went to Jrashen community of Ararat Marz, where a “smart” cattle house was established within the framework of the state support programs. The 27 heifers of the German Simmental pedigree with high breeding indicators were acquired in August 2020 within the program on “Development of cattle breeding in the Republic of Armenia for 2019-2024”. In the near future it is planned to expand the farm and build another cattle house envisaged for about 50 bovine animals.

During the visit, Tigran Khachatryan emphasized the expansion of cooperation between Armenia and Artsakh in the agrarian sector and harmonization of agricultural programs in the two Armenian states.

“In terms of further elaboration and improvement of our programs, we try to take into account the best experience of our partners from Artsakh, as well as transfer to them the good experience we have accumulated, so that with our joint efforts we can resolve the food security and food safety problems. In both Armenia and Artsakh, we must establish common rules and standards so that consumers have the opportunity to use safe food,” said the RA Minister of Economy.

The abreast implementation of agricultural programs in Armenia and Artsakh was also emphasized by the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Artsakh.

“Agriculture is one of the strategic branches of economy of the Republic of Artsakh, and the living standards and welfare of our population greatly depend on the pace of its development. Taking into account the many challenges of the rapidly changing world, we are just obliged to fully ensure the food security of our two Armenian republics,” Ashot Bakhshiyan stressed.

According to him, in order to achieve that goal, the existing state support programs and tools have recently been reviewed in Artsakh and means of combining the support programs were discussed with the RA Minister of Economy, so that it becomes possible to achieve the main goal - ensure food security and have a developed, intensive agriculture.

“In general, our entire policy will be aimed at promotion of final product, attraction of investments, and, which is the most important, construction and development of different infrastructures, first of all the irrigation infrastructure,” said Ashot Bakhshiyan.