YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. As of September 4, 220 thousand tons of grain was harvested in Armenia, which is less by 100 thousand tons than the index as of the same day of 2005. NT correspondent was informed from Garnik Petrosian, Head of the Plant Cultivation Development and Plant Protection Department of the RA Ministry of Agriculture, that it is envisaged to harvest another 100-105 thousand tons of grain. According to him, the average crop yield of grain made 14 centners this year. The highest index of average crop yield was registered in Ararat marz (32 tons), while the lowest index was in Tavush marz (7 centners). It was noted that as of September 4, 396 thousand tons of vegetables was harvested, which exceeds by 96 thousand tons the respective index of last year. Particularly, 135 thousand tons of potato was already harvested this year against 128 thousand tons as of the same day last year. G. Petrosian said that it is planned to harvest 800 thousand tons of vegetables until the end of the season against 600 thousand tons last year. As of September 4, the Armenian fruit and vegetable processing companies purchased 30 thousand tons of vegetables against 17 thousand tons last year. The Ararat and Artashat canning plants are the main purchasers. According to G. Petrosian, 180 thousand tons of fruit was already harvested against 220 thousand tons as of September 4, 2005. 20 thousand tons of grapes was already harvested against 8 thousand tons as of the same day last year.

---