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AIDE TO ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER SAYS THERE IS NO POLICY TO SUPPORT AGRICULTURE
/ARKA/
September 23, 2010
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, September 23, /ARKA/. Tatul Manaserian, an aide to Armenian
parliament speaker, denounced today the government for failing to
develop a clear-cut policy to support the country's agriculture
sector. According to the latest government data, the economy growth
has slowed down to 3.1% in the first eight months, substantially
down from 8.8% reported for the first five months of the year. The
dramatic decline was blamed on agriculture that dropped by 25% in
the first seven months slowing down to 18% for the first eight months.
Speaking at a news conference Tatul Manaserian said the country's
agriculture is vulnerable; like its food security.
"Of course, one can blame it on unfavorable climatic conditions, which
is true. But it does not justify the policy designed for agricultural
sector. To be frank, I think there is no policy at all,' he said.
Tatul Manaserian said the government should have used a set of
privileges that were available right after Armenia t joined the World
Trade Organization (WTO) seven years to boost the agricultural sector.
He specified that in the first six years after joining WTO Armenia
was exempted from VAT for export of agricultural products.
"We could use the privileges to make our agriculture competitive and
to offset the effects of the 20% VAT for exports,' he said. In his
opinion, only a good manager can understand what should be done to
improve the situation and particularly, to reduce Armenia's dependence
on imports of some basic foods, like wheat.
In the first eight months of 2010 Armenia's Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) expanded by 3.1% from a year before, the country's National
Statistical Service reported Wednesday. According to its preliminary
figures, the GDP grew, in terms of money, to 2.042.8 trillion Drams.
The economy in August grew by 79% from n July, Armstat said. Armenia's
economy experienced a dramatic 18.4% decline in the first eight months
of last year. The GDP growth, projected by 2010 budget is 1.2 percent.
From: A. Papazian
/ARKA/
September 23, 2010
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, September 23, /ARKA/. Tatul Manaserian, an aide to Armenian
parliament speaker, denounced today the government for failing to
develop a clear-cut policy to support the country's agriculture
sector. According to the latest government data, the economy growth
has slowed down to 3.1% in the first eight months, substantially
down from 8.8% reported for the first five months of the year. The
dramatic decline was blamed on agriculture that dropped by 25% in
the first seven months slowing down to 18% for the first eight months.
Speaking at a news conference Tatul Manaserian said the country's
agriculture is vulnerable; like its food security.
"Of course, one can blame it on unfavorable climatic conditions, which
is true. But it does not justify the policy designed for agricultural
sector. To be frank, I think there is no policy at all,' he said.
Tatul Manaserian said the government should have used a set of
privileges that were available right after Armenia t joined the World
Trade Organization (WTO) seven years to boost the agricultural sector.
He specified that in the first six years after joining WTO Armenia
was exempted from VAT for export of agricultural products.
"We could use the privileges to make our agriculture competitive and
to offset the effects of the 20% VAT for exports,' he said. In his
opinion, only a good manager can understand what should be done to
improve the situation and particularly, to reduce Armenia's dependence
on imports of some basic foods, like wheat.
In the first eight months of 2010 Armenia's Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) expanded by 3.1% from a year before, the country's National
Statistical Service reported Wednesday. According to its preliminary
figures, the GDP grew, in terms of money, to 2.042.8 trillion Drams.
The economy in August grew by 79% from n July, Armstat said. Armenia's
economy experienced a dramatic 18.4% decline in the first eight months
of last year. The GDP growth, projected by 2010 budget is 1.2 percent.
From: A. Papazian