YEREVAN. - Parliamentary hearings on Armenia`s agricultural problems revealed the Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan`s grave concern over the sector`s problems.

Speaker Abrahamyan pointed out that it must not be another futile "pro-forma" discussion of the sector`s problems. According to him, blaming the international crisis for problems in various sectors has recently "become the fashion" in Armenia.

"However, it is not the international economic crisis that accounts for problems in many sectors, including agriculture," Hovik Abrahamyan said.

The solution for the situation is development of low-interest agricultural loans and enlargement of land plots. Speaker Abrahamyan also proposes subsidizing farms in the areas with unfavorable climatic conditions.

Abrahamyan pointed out the need for subsidizing the purchase of agricultural equipment by farmers, who will pay only 20% of the cost.

All the proposals have been incorporated in the national agricultural development program for 2008-2012.

"Instead of re-inventing the wheel we should implement government programs," Abrahamyan concluded.