YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. Within the framework of his working visit to Ararat Province, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited industrial enterprises. The Premier first called at Artfood cannery in Artashat, and attended the opening of a new line for processing tomatoes, which is expected to increase the growth of purchases and production. Nikol Pashinyan toured the workshops processing tomato and fruit, producing tomato paste, juices, canned food, etc., ARMENPRESS was informed from the official website of the Prime Minister of Armenia. 

The management of the company informed the Prime Minister that in the framework of the investment program for the modernization of equipment and infrastructure of the plant in 2018, $ 3.5 million was invested. Artfood commissioned technology patented by the Italian Cavalieri tomato processing company, which is the only such production line in the EAEU. It was noted that currently the company employs more than 1,000 employees (growth in 2018 was 25 percent).

As a result of cooperation with small and medium-sized enterprises this year, the harvest of agricultural products doubled, exceeding 2 billion drams. Production of the company is exported to Russia, Georgia, Belgium, USA, Canada, England and Kazakhstan. In connection with the development programs, the Prime Minister was informed that in the next five years the company plans to double production growth (it is planned to create a new production hall), to increase the export volume 3.5 times, to increase the number of offered assortment and improve the quality of products.

The management of Artfood also informed the head of the government that currently there are about 100 seasonal vacancies at the factory with a salary of 90,000 drams, which, however, are not replenished, because people do not want to lose unemployment benefits. The Prime Minister noted that the government is implementing reforms to change the logic of poverty on the logic of work and encouraging employment.

Then the Prime Minister also visited the Ararat winery to get acquainted with the harvesting process of the grapes and the current results. It was noted that in 2018 the plant plans to purchase 14-18 thousand tons of grapes, and at the moment already harvested 7 thousand tons of grapes. Currently, new wine containers are being installed, which will allow buying about 20 thousand tons of grapes per year. It was noted that grapes are purchased without any sort and quantitative restrictions, and the sales volume for the last 10 years has increased dramatically, amounting to 14-18 thousand tons. The sales volume amounted to 4-7 million bottles. Work is underway to enter the markets not only of the CIS, but also of the countries of Europe.

Nikol Pashinyan walked through the shops. The management of the company presented the current and planned work to the Prime Minister, as well as future investment projects. It was noted that at present the plant is working to increase the level of technical and technological capacity, storage capacity and volume increase. It also provides for the creation of a farm support service to alleviate the burden of agricultural work for farmers and to obtain better products. This will also provide an opportunity to change the culture of viticulture and grape varieties, and to strengthen the relationship between processing companies and farmers.

The Prime Minister noted the importance of further development of the food industry and processing agriculture in the Ararat region and stressed that the executive branch is ready to support this process within the framework of state mechanisms. At the end of the working visit to Ararat region, Prime Minister Pashinyan also visited the Inter Aqua fish company in Masis where he got acquainted with the production capacity and development prospects. 
 

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan