The sugar refinery in the village of Akhuryan, Shirak region, will be put into operation, next May, Director Eduard Sargsyan told NEWS.am. He said that the refinery can start operating even now, but the Russian company responsible for the construction project advised to postpone the commissioning until next May.

E. Sargsyan said that 40% of sugar will be made of Armenian sugar beet, with the primary products imported from South America to be used for producing the rest 60%. The refinery will start operating on the exported primary products, as contracts with local producers will only be signed this year.

Samvel Alexanyan, the owner of the refinery, explained why the refinery is not using the local primary products alone. He said that the beet output in Armenia is too small for the refinery. As regards the sugar price after the enterprises is put into operation, Director Eduard Sargsyan does not rule out adjustment. “The price of one ton of sugar will be almost U.S. $40 lower than the market price, and the output will exceed Armenia’s demand 2.5 times. We plan to export sugar to Georgia, Iran and Russia. The sugar will be of European quality, and we will have no export problems,” he said.

RA Minister of Agriculture Gerasim Alaversyan told reporters that the refinery has an annual capacity of 220,000 tons. The refinery can employ up to 1,000 people. The cultivation of sugar beet and a yield of up to 300,000 tons will ensure employment for 20,000 people.