There are problems in the sphere of potato production, which we even exported some time ago. In recent years the prices for the production have increased by 20%. Former Deputy Minister of Agriculture Ashot Harutyunyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Armenia is on the verge of a collapse in all spheres of life, so, according to him, first it is necessary to stop this process and then to think about development.

He believes that the sphere of agriculture is falling apart; there are mistakes which will take a long time to correct. 

Harutyunyan recalled the government's plan to increase the gross production of agriculture to AMD 1.2 trillion in 2023, and to AMD 1.4 trillion by 2026.

Six programs worth 38 billion drams will be implemented in the sphere, including credit and grant funds from external sources.

At the same time, as the expert noted, the goal is to bring the index of gross agricultural production to 1.2 trillion drams. It is noteworthy that in 2016 this indicator was already more than 1.216 trillion drams, although then much less money was spent to achieve the same indicators than the current authorities want to spend.

"How are the authorities going to provide the figure of 1.2 trillion drams, given the failure of the fall sowing program and unfavorable weather conditions. If there is no seeding, the figures will already be bad. What is the sense of enlargement of farms, the total number of which is planned to be reduced to 280 thousand instead of the former 317 thousand?

Farmers continue to be simply ignored. Given the favorable conditions for the banking sector, we could have reduced the interest rate under the program of subsidizing loans, but this does not happen," the former deputy minister added.

Harutyunyan questioned the information provided by the authorities on grain imports.

"Who imported fertilizers? Who won the tender? Who enriched and who impoverished?" the expert questioned.