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YOUNG DIASPORA INVESTOR: "ARMENIA IS HOME AND I'M READY TO FACE ALL CHALLENGES"
Sona Avagyan
hetq
12:55, August 6, 2011
You wouldn't say that Pedro lacks ambition.
This Armenian, raised in the States from the age of 9, purchased 112
hectares of land in the village of Bagaran, just this side of the
Armenian border with Turkey, in 2008.
Pedro has already planted walnut and apple saplings on 4 hectares.
What inspired Pedro, who has born in Iran, to invest his hard earned
savings into a patch of earth so close to western Armenia, at the
confluence of the Akhurian and Arax Rivers?
"I fell in love with this place the first time I saw it. Not far are
the villages of Bagaran and Yervandashat. There's the Arax River and
Turkey on the other side," he explains.
Pedro was 33 when he decided to pull up stakes in the U.S. and move
to Armenia.
He had visited before and knew the move wouldn't be easy - that he
would have to fight for certain things. Pedro came prepared to do
just that.
People probably first heard of Pedro Zarokian in various internet
forums. In order to transport his car and personal items to Armenia
without paying any bribes he had to make 20 trips to 4 separate
customs agencies in Armenia.
Caught in a never ending maze of bureaucracy and corruption, Pedro
took his case public. He sent off public protests to customs officials,
Armenia's migration agency and the Diaspora Ministry.
In a separate matter, Pedro and his neighbours launched an 8 month
campaign against a karaoke club in their building. The music, played
so loudly and late into the night, prevented residents from getting
a decent night's sleep.
"Now, they are constructing a 12 story illegal building on Northern
Avenue, opposite our house. I and my neighbours are now locked in a
battle against the developers. You have to fight to live normally in
your home. In fact, you have to fight for everything," says Pedro.
Pedro came to Armenia by himself. His parents and siblings remained
in the States. Pedro's father sometimes urges him to come back,
but the son is set against returning.
"You either have the need inside you to live here or you don't. I
have such a need."
At first, Pedro wanted to open a factory producing personal hygiene
items; soap, shampoo, etc. When he realized that most of the raw
materials would have to be imported, necessitating constant contact
with customs, Pedro nixed the idea.
[nut.jpg] Back in the States, Pedro was secretly drawn to the idea
of farming the land. That desire blossomed here in Armenia.
"There are so many people into farming in the U.S. and the sector
is really developed. It wouldn't have made sense for me to start
farming there. But here in Armenia, you can really make a difference
by introducing new farming methods and technologies."
Pedro also finds that working the land is calming and pleasurable,
despite the difficulties involved.
"My plan was to create something from nothing in Armenia. Why should
you import this or that if you can make it here. It's a shame that
much of the food is imported rather than home grown."
Pedro told me that a major problem facing local agriculture is that
villagers lease large expanses of land, not with the intention of
farming, but rather in the hope of selling the land to prospective
buyers - whether Armenians from the diaspora or other foreigners.
There are large tracts of land adjacent to the border that aren't
being cultivated due to irrigation problems.
It took Pedro one full year to get all the permits to install
irrigation pipes and water pumping units. Given the large amount of
water seepage during irrigation, Pedro is now planning to deploy a
drip irrigation system.
There is also the problem of pilferage. A week after Pedro installed
electricity wires half of them were stolen. It was a $500 setback.
The culprits were never found. Pedro was forced to build a small
cabin for a guard who watches over the land at night.
Pedro makes a point to visit his land almost every day to monitor
the work going on. Usually, there are 2-4 workers and from 10-20 when
the fields have to be cleared of stones and debris.
Gevorg, a resident of the nearby village of Vanand, has been working
for Pedro for the past nine months. The man planted a stand of apricot
trees three years ago and has another 3-4 years to wait until they
produce fruit.
Next spring, Pedro plans to sow grapes on 2-3 hectares of land. He
also wants to plant more walnut trees.
He says that an anti-hail station is also on the agenda once the
revenues start to trickle in.
[hoghamas.jpg] Pedro anticipates an income stream in 4-5 years and
says that a reprocessing unit is also a possibility down the road.
The young entrepreneur assured me that he's taken stock of all the
risks involved when it comes to doing business here.
"Hopefully, no one will bother me during the next 4-5 years. I am
moving slowly with measured investments. This way I won't lose my
shirt all at once. I'll expand my holdings a little each year."
The young man hopes that Armenia will become a law abiding country
by then and that tax officials or larger business interests won't
make things difficult for him.
"I am ready for any struggle. I follow the law and don't pay bribes.
I'll take any anyone to court, even government officials, who do
anything illegal. I'll resist whatever way I can. The more people play
by the rules and demand justice from the courts, the entire judicial
system will be forced to clean up its act," Pedro says.
He argues that feudalism reigns in Armenia and that the country is
divided amongst a handful of feudal lords who can do as they please.
"It's like the feudal system in England 300-400 years ago. It's a
non-national model and we will not be able to preserve the country if
it continues. It's up to the new generation to put a halt to it. The
system must be demolished and everyone will be held accountable for
their actions."
Pedro says that he finds many in Armenia to be selfish and indifferent
to the plight of others. As proof, he points to the scuffles to get
ahead in lines at the stores or the fact that many drivers ignore the
rules of the road. There is no tradition of common courtesy he argues.
But he doesn't regret moving to Armenia.
"It's my country, our country. I knew it wouldn't be easy. If I can't
carry on here it would mean that I've failed."
Sona Avagyan
hetq
12:55, August 6, 2011
You wouldn't say that Pedro lacks ambition.
This Armenian, raised in the States from the age of 9, purchased 112
hectares of land in the village of Bagaran, just this side of the
Armenian border with Turkey, in 2008.
Pedro has already planted walnut and apple saplings on 4 hectares.
What inspired Pedro, who has born in Iran, to invest his hard earned
savings into a patch of earth so close to western Armenia, at the
confluence of the Akhurian and Arax Rivers?
"I fell in love with this place the first time I saw it. Not far are
the villages of Bagaran and Yervandashat. There's the Arax River and
Turkey on the other side," he explains.
Pedro was 33 when he decided to pull up stakes in the U.S. and move
to Armenia.
He had visited before and knew the move wouldn't be easy - that he
would have to fight for certain things. Pedro came prepared to do
just that.
People probably first heard of Pedro Zarokian in various internet
forums. In order to transport his car and personal items to Armenia
without paying any bribes he had to make 20 trips to 4 separate
customs agencies in Armenia.
Caught in a never ending maze of bureaucracy and corruption, Pedro
took his case public. He sent off public protests to customs officials,
Armenia's migration agency and the Diaspora Ministry.
In a separate matter, Pedro and his neighbours launched an 8 month
campaign against a karaoke club in their building. The music, played
so loudly and late into the night, prevented residents from getting
a decent night's sleep.
"Now, they are constructing a 12 story illegal building on Northern
Avenue, opposite our house. I and my neighbours are now locked in a
battle against the developers. You have to fight to live normally in
your home. In fact, you have to fight for everything," says Pedro.
Pedro came to Armenia by himself. His parents and siblings remained
in the States. Pedro's father sometimes urges him to come back,
but the son is set against returning.
"You either have the need inside you to live here or you don't. I
have such a need."
At first, Pedro wanted to open a factory producing personal hygiene
items; soap, shampoo, etc. When he realized that most of the raw
materials would have to be imported, necessitating constant contact
with customs, Pedro nixed the idea.
[nut.jpg] Back in the States, Pedro was secretly drawn to the idea
of farming the land. That desire blossomed here in Armenia.
"There are so many people into farming in the U.S. and the sector
is really developed. It wouldn't have made sense for me to start
farming there. But here in Armenia, you can really make a difference
by introducing new farming methods and technologies."
Pedro also finds that working the land is calming and pleasurable,
despite the difficulties involved.
"My plan was to create something from nothing in Armenia. Why should
you import this or that if you can make it here. It's a shame that
much of the food is imported rather than home grown."
Pedro told me that a major problem facing local agriculture is that
villagers lease large expanses of land, not with the intention of
farming, but rather in the hope of selling the land to prospective
buyers - whether Armenians from the diaspora or other foreigners.
There are large tracts of land adjacent to the border that aren't
being cultivated due to irrigation problems.
It took Pedro one full year to get all the permits to install
irrigation pipes and water pumping units. Given the large amount of
water seepage during irrigation, Pedro is now planning to deploy a
drip irrigation system.
There is also the problem of pilferage. A week after Pedro installed
electricity wires half of them were stolen. It was a $500 setback.
The culprits were never found. Pedro was forced to build a small
cabin for a guard who watches over the land at night.
Pedro makes a point to visit his land almost every day to monitor
the work going on. Usually, there are 2-4 workers and from 10-20 when
the fields have to be cleared of stones and debris.
Gevorg, a resident of the nearby village of Vanand, has been working
for Pedro for the past nine months. The man planted a stand of apricot
trees three years ago and has another 3-4 years to wait until they
produce fruit.
Next spring, Pedro plans to sow grapes on 2-3 hectares of land. He
also wants to plant more walnut trees.
He says that an anti-hail station is also on the agenda once the
revenues start to trickle in.
[hoghamas.jpg] Pedro anticipates an income stream in 4-5 years and
says that a reprocessing unit is also a possibility down the road.
The young entrepreneur assured me that he's taken stock of all the
risks involved when it comes to doing business here.
"Hopefully, no one will bother me during the next 4-5 years. I am
moving slowly with measured investments. This way I won't lose my
shirt all at once. I'll expand my holdings a little each year."
The young man hopes that Armenia will become a law abiding country
by then and that tax officials or larger business interests won't
make things difficult for him.
"I am ready for any struggle. I follow the law and don't pay bribes.
I'll take any anyone to court, even government officials, who do
anything illegal. I'll resist whatever way I can. The more people play
by the rules and demand justice from the courts, the entire judicial
system will be forced to clean up its act," Pedro says.
He argues that feudalism reigns in Armenia and that the country is
divided amongst a handful of feudal lords who can do as they please.
"It's like the feudal system in England 300-400 years ago. It's a
non-national model and we will not be able to preserve the country if
it continues. It's up to the new generation to put a halt to it. The
system must be demolished and everyone will be held accountable for
their actions."
Pedro says that he finds many in Armenia to be selfish and indifferent
to the plight of others. As proof, he points to the scuffles to get
ahead in lines at the stores or the fact that many drivers ignore the
rules of the road. There is no tradition of common courtesy he argues.
But he doesn't regret moving to Armenia.
"It's my country, our country. I knew it wouldn't be easy. If I can't
carry on here it would mean that I've failed."