YEREVAN. – Apricot exports of Armenia this year will exceed last year’s volume because this year’s harvest is plentiful, said Minister of Agriculture Sergo Karapetyan, at a press conference on Saturday.

But he noted that there still are challenges in the exporting of agricultural products.

“As of today, we exported 150 tons of apricots by plane,” the minister said. “But the exports with vehicles will start in about three days, and there will be large-scale exports.”

Karapetyan added, however, that Armenia’s farmers suffer losses when exporting agricultural products on their own, since they are not familiar with the export market.

“We [i.e. the Ministry of Agriculture of Armenia] ourselves recommend the beginners to collaborate with us, so we may tell [them] where to take, with which way to take [their agricultural products],” the minister said.