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SPRING SOWING: THE PROBLEMS ARE OFTEN CAUSED BY THE IMPROPER
ORGANIZATION OF WORKS
http://artsakhtert.com/eng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=998:s pring-sowing-the-problems-are-often-caused-by-the-improper-organization-of-works&catid=6:economy&Itemid=18
Friday, 05 April 2013 10:21
Interview with NKR Minister of Agriculture Andranik Khachatryan
- Mr. Khachatryan, the period of intensive agricultural activities has
started. Please, describe the process of spring spadework.
- Given the effectiveness of cultivation of spring crops, the
Government takes corresponding steps for expanding the area every
year. According to the Ministry's operative data, 60909.8 hectares of
land were ploughed for the 2013 crops; 48587.3 hectares were prepared
for winter wheat and the rest 12322.5 ha made spring sowing- and
arable lands.
To date, spring sowing of crops has been implemented on 1065 hectares
of land, including 10.6 hectares - under wheat, 261.5 ha - under
barley, 440.4 ha - under spelt, 20 hectares - under maize, 139.3
hectares - under potato, 24.5 hectares - under alfalfa, 40 hectares -
under melilot, 70 hectares - under winter-cress, and 58.7 hectares -
under vegetables. As state assistance, land cultivators will get crops
seeds for spring sowing, covering 50% of their cost. As of today, 100
tons of beech seeds, 80 tons of potato seeds, 5 tons of clover seeds,
22 tons of melilot seeds, 12 tons of sorgo-sudan grass seeds, and 19.4
tons of corn seeds have been imported. Works on importing 60.6 tons of
corn seeds, 8 tons of sunflower seeds, 18 tons of sorghum seeds, 30
tons of alfalfa seeds, and 150 tons of melilot seeds are underway. For
organizing the spring field works, in 2013, the NKR Fund for Rural and
Agricultural Support stored and is still importing different
fertilizers and other toxic substances to the Republic. To date, 7
tons of leaf nutrients, 900 liters of herbicides, 100 liters of
insecticides have been imported. It should be noted that in late 2012,
the residue available in the storage amounted to 1830 tons of various
mineral fertilizers, 3.8 tons of leaf nutrients and over 170 liters of
different herbicides. As of today, fertilization and feeding works
have been fulfilled on 2255 hectares of land, on over 28200 hectares
of land - works on struggling pests and diseases, on 1435 ha -
struggling works against weeds, and on 1835 hectares - irrigation
works.
- You often visit regions and meet with land users. What
problems occur during the work? Is there any shortage of manpower or
resources? And how do you generally assess the spadework on spring
sowing?
- I assess the spadework and the current works as
satisfactory. Sometimes, we face difficulties seemingly related to
technical problems, but our observations testify that the difficulties
are of organizational character in place and not of technical. Land
users should timely resolve the technical issues with equipment owners
in order that the spring sowing and other field works are conducted in
time. For the effective organization of the spring sowing and
harvesting, the Ministry of Agriculture take corresponding measures
for providing the corresponding agricultural equipment. According to
the calculations, the Republic possesses enough equipment for
conducting the works on the proper level. According to the information
of the ministry, there are 1946 units of agricultural equipment in the
Republic. For renovating the agricultural equipment, the NKR Fund for
Rural and Agricultural Support imported 1335 units of agricultural
machines and equipment.
- This winter was dry. How will it impact the results of
the agricultural production?
- Though this winter was not snowy, experts do not assess
it as dry. There were precipitations in the winter months, though not
in the form of snow. And if we take into account that the
precipitations in this March have exceeded those of the last year
March, then we can say that if it goes so, the conditions for normal
crop will be more stable.
- As far as we know, the President expressed his
dissatisfaction with the activity of the Republican Veterinary
Laboratory. Why? How do you plan to increase the efficiency of the
structure?
- Given the importance of providing food security, a new
building for the Republican Veterinary Laboratory was built and put
into operation on October 15, 2012, which currently has a food
department. The Ministry of Agriculture took corresponding measures to
provide the necessary equipment for the laboratory.
- As we know, the old and good traditions of weaving will
be tried to restore in Artsakh in the nearest future. I think the
success of the program will mostly depend on the agricultural
development. Will the NKR be able to provide the enterprise with raw
material (wool, silk)?
- As for the wool production, the existing population of
sheep (101,6 thousands of heads) is promising, which will allow
producing about 100 tons of wool. As for the silk production, it also
demands the needed raw material - production of silkworms, which
supposes expansion of the mulberry trees' types and areas. Under the
current conditions, everything will depend on the raw material prices,
volumes and profitability.
- What are this-year plans for launching new programs or
improving the existing ones in the agricultural sphere?
- The 2013 state budget has allocated over 3 million drams
for developing the agricultural sphere. The noted funds will be mainly
directed to the implementation of some important regional programs.
The process of funding the cultivation of black grants and corn,
imported fertilizers, pesticides, agricultural machinery, and others
will be also continued. Besides, crops' seeds program will be
continued in 2013, which will enable us to fully meet the future
demands in qualitative seeds. Like in the previous years, in 2013 too,
works will be conducted to ensure the security of the harvest from
natural disasters. Given the importance of solving the problem of food
security, the NKR Government's 2012-2017 activity program envisaged
elaboration of the «NKR Concept of Ensuring Food Security». The works
in this direction began in 2012 and will be completed this year.
Srbuhi VANYAN
ORGANIZATION OF WORKS
http://artsakhtert.com/eng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=998:s pring-sowing-the-problems-are-often-caused-by-the-improper-organization-of-works&catid=6:economy&Itemid=18
Friday, 05 April 2013 10:21
Interview with NKR Minister of Agriculture Andranik Khachatryan
- Mr. Khachatryan, the period of intensive agricultural activities has
started. Please, describe the process of spring spadework.
- Given the effectiveness of cultivation of spring crops, the
Government takes corresponding steps for expanding the area every
year. According to the Ministry's operative data, 60909.8 hectares of
land were ploughed for the 2013 crops; 48587.3 hectares were prepared
for winter wheat and the rest 12322.5 ha made spring sowing- and
arable lands.
To date, spring sowing of crops has been implemented on 1065 hectares
of land, including 10.6 hectares - under wheat, 261.5 ha - under
barley, 440.4 ha - under spelt, 20 hectares - under maize, 139.3
hectares - under potato, 24.5 hectares - under alfalfa, 40 hectares -
under melilot, 70 hectares - under winter-cress, and 58.7 hectares -
under vegetables. As state assistance, land cultivators will get crops
seeds for spring sowing, covering 50% of their cost. As of today, 100
tons of beech seeds, 80 tons of potato seeds, 5 tons of clover seeds,
22 tons of melilot seeds, 12 tons of sorgo-sudan grass seeds, and 19.4
tons of corn seeds have been imported. Works on importing 60.6 tons of
corn seeds, 8 tons of sunflower seeds, 18 tons of sorghum seeds, 30
tons of alfalfa seeds, and 150 tons of melilot seeds are underway. For
organizing the spring field works, in 2013, the NKR Fund for Rural and
Agricultural Support stored and is still importing different
fertilizers and other toxic substances to the Republic. To date, 7
tons of leaf nutrients, 900 liters of herbicides, 100 liters of
insecticides have been imported. It should be noted that in late 2012,
the residue available in the storage amounted to 1830 tons of various
mineral fertilizers, 3.8 tons of leaf nutrients and over 170 liters of
different herbicides. As of today, fertilization and feeding works
have been fulfilled on 2255 hectares of land, on over 28200 hectares
of land - works on struggling pests and diseases, on 1435 ha -
struggling works against weeds, and on 1835 hectares - irrigation
works.
- You often visit regions and meet with land users. What
problems occur during the work? Is there any shortage of manpower or
resources? And how do you generally assess the spadework on spring
sowing?
- I assess the spadework and the current works as
satisfactory. Sometimes, we face difficulties seemingly related to
technical problems, but our observations testify that the difficulties
are of organizational character in place and not of technical. Land
users should timely resolve the technical issues with equipment owners
in order that the spring sowing and other field works are conducted in
time. For the effective organization of the spring sowing and
harvesting, the Ministry of Agriculture take corresponding measures
for providing the corresponding agricultural equipment. According to
the calculations, the Republic possesses enough equipment for
conducting the works on the proper level. According to the information
of the ministry, there are 1946 units of agricultural equipment in the
Republic. For renovating the agricultural equipment, the NKR Fund for
Rural and Agricultural Support imported 1335 units of agricultural
machines and equipment.
- This winter was dry. How will it impact the results of
the agricultural production?
- Though this winter was not snowy, experts do not assess
it as dry. There were precipitations in the winter months, though not
in the form of snow. And if we take into account that the
precipitations in this March have exceeded those of the last year
March, then we can say that if it goes so, the conditions for normal
crop will be more stable.
- As far as we know, the President expressed his
dissatisfaction with the activity of the Republican Veterinary
Laboratory. Why? How do you plan to increase the efficiency of the
structure?
- Given the importance of providing food security, a new
building for the Republican Veterinary Laboratory was built and put
into operation on October 15, 2012, which currently has a food
department. The Ministry of Agriculture took corresponding measures to
provide the necessary equipment for the laboratory.
- As we know, the old and good traditions of weaving will
be tried to restore in Artsakh in the nearest future. I think the
success of the program will mostly depend on the agricultural
development. Will the NKR be able to provide the enterprise with raw
material (wool, silk)?
- As for the wool production, the existing population of
sheep (101,6 thousands of heads) is promising, which will allow
producing about 100 tons of wool. As for the silk production, it also
demands the needed raw material - production of silkworms, which
supposes expansion of the mulberry trees' types and areas. Under the
current conditions, everything will depend on the raw material prices,
volumes and profitability.
- What are this-year plans for launching new programs or
improving the existing ones in the agricultural sphere?
- The 2013 state budget has allocated over 3 million drams
for developing the agricultural sphere. The noted funds will be mainly
directed to the implementation of some important regional programs.
The process of funding the cultivation of black grants and corn,
imported fertilizers, pesticides, agricultural machinery, and others
will be also continued. Besides, crops' seeds program will be
continued in 2013, which will enable us to fully meet the future
demands in qualitative seeds. Like in the previous years, in 2013 too,
works will be conducted to ensure the security of the harvest from
natural disasters. Given the importance of solving the problem of food
security, the NKR Government's 2012-2017 activity program envisaged
elaboration of the «NKR Concept of Ensuring Food Security». The works
in this direction began in 2012 and will be completed this year.
Srbuhi VANYAN