Before the elections, the authorities gave hope to the peasants and producers of agricultural products that they would not only pay for the non-exportable pepper and flowers, but also that after the elections they would quickly resolve the strained relations with Russia and reopen the Russian market for Armenian products.

“I have enough leverage that if I win your trust after the elections, I will go and solve the issues on the spot,” said Nikol Pashinyan.

The elections are over, but the Russian market remains closed. Neither Nikol Pashinyan went and solved the issues of export of Armenian agricultural products on the spot, nor anyone else.

The Minister of Economy, who coordinates the agricultural sector and is one of the main people responsible for the violation of phytosanitary norms and other reasons, the Armenian agricultural products faced the barrier of export to the Russian market, announces that he plans to make 1-2 visits to Russia in June-July to participate in various events. Within the framework of these events, he expects to discuss the issues related to the export of Armenian products on the Russian market “hand in hand”.

It seems that the authorities have washed their hands. Hopes have been dashed that the Russian market will soon be opened for Armenian products. And while it remains closed, Armenia’s economy and agricultural producers suffer. The prospects of entering other markets are not encouraging, no matter how much the government promises money to the exporters.

The producers-exporters of agricultural products were confronted with the truth and now they are going to cover the damages caused by them at the expense of the state. They give money from the budget.

The price of subsidy for the export of greenhouse tomatoes, pepper, strawberries and flowers was estimated at 1.9 billion drams. The price of subsidizing the export of apricots, cherries, plums, wine, brandy and mineral waters was estimated at 3.9 billion drams. In total, 5.8 billion drams or more than 15 million dollars.

This is the loss that the state may suffer because of the authorities to subsidize the export of the mentioned goods in 1 month.

They will give that money neither from their own house nor from their own pockets, they will give it from the taxes paid by taxpayers and citizens. If they had not created this situation, the problem of paying those amounts and giving compensation would not have arisen, as it did not arise before.

This is a consequence of the authorities’ “brilliant” management, the burden of which will be borne by the state budget. That money could have been used for other programs, including social programs, as well as programs aimed at developing agriculture, but they are going to spend it on something that they could not spend it on if they were a little more accountable for their actions.

The adventure of power can cost the state tens of millions of dollars per month. But even this does not guarantee that Armenian agricultural products will be exported and will be able to be placed in the markets of other countries. Until now, some symbolic exports have been made to individual countries with or without support programs, but they are not enough to establish themselves in these markets and occupy a long-term place.

The volume of supplies that existed in the Russian market does not occur in any other market, even after the government decided to provide subsidies, sometimes even for quite a large amount.

They think that all problems will be solved only with subsidies. The fact shows that it is not so. Even if all other problems are left aside, there is a significant obstacle: Armenian agricultural products are not recognizable in those markets. And it is impossible to achieve it in 1 day, 1 month, even 1 year. No European official can solve this problem in a short time. The assurances that we will help, support and facilitate Armenia’s trade with its neighbors and Europe are mere formalities.

Until now, we have seen how they supported and helped. For years, the same European officials have been selling the same package of financial aid to Armenian citizens in different ways. The so-called help is mostly loans, sometimes expensive commercial loans. But even those amounts do not arrive on time. 2021 they promised a five-year investment program within the framework of 2.6 billion euros, until now they have made several hundreds of millions of projects, that too with loans. They provided some gratuitous assistance, but mostly for political purposes.

As much as these previously planned programs have been implemented and are being implemented, they will now help to sell Armenian agricultural products in neighboring countries and European markets.

Before the elections, when it became known that the Russian market for Armenian agricultural products was closed, in order to support their protégés in the government, they hastened to announce that they were providing 50 million euros of assistance.

It did not become known, did that assistance arrive, or is it still on the way like the previous ones?

With such “aids”, Armenian agricultural products will never find a place in the European markets. Do you remember how Nikol Pashinyan was going to fill the gaps in the global market with Armenian products during the Covid pandemic? As they filled those gaps with Armenian products, so now they will conquer European and other markets with Armenian agricultural products.

HAKOB KOCHARYAN

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