“I consider it strange when a farmer has land, but he is poor,” Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan stated at a conference on economic policy priorities in Yerevan, March 11.

"Each of us must pay regular visits to the rural areas – both the Premier, and Vice-Premier and all the ministers. I personally will pay regular visits to rural areas and supervise some of the programs. Results of the programs must be felt, and farmers must see they are not alone,” the President said.

“What are the causes keeping people from cultivating their land? Of course, we can always say that some of our farmers do not want to work. It is not so. If a person sees he can live well by cultivating land, he will do it. Why do they in the Ararat valley work more than in other areas? Because they see the result of their work,” President Serzh Sargsyan said.

Addressing Minister of Agriculture Sergo Karapewtyan, the President said: “Many a time you, even before being appointed Minister of Agriculture, have told me that farmers do not face any problems with selling their produce. But why do not we say it publicly? Why do not you say to farmers: `As Minister of Agriculture I guarantee you will be able to sell what you have produced`? Say if it is so or not. We should consistently expand the processing industry`s potential - especially since we can easily export our products. A few months ago, when I visited enterprise, you told me that you had not enough time for processing and exporting because of large sales in the domestic market. Now you help people to produce more,” the Armenian President said.