Thursday, 21 February 2013
High-Quality Seeds Import Is Government Priority
A Cabinet sitting was held today, chaired by Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan,
To assist land users with the 2013 spring sowing campaign and partially meet the seed demand, the government approved a program aimed at boosting the production of barley, corn, alfalfa and honey-lotus in advance of the 2013 sowing campaign, under which high-quality seeds will be purchased from foreign and local seed-producers to be distributed among the farmers, including 850 tons of spring barley, 11 tons of corn, 37 tons of alfalfa and 530 tons of honey-lotus seeds. The program is expected to help expand crop areas and the farmers’ gross income.
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said that this is one of the most important programs of the Government: “We continue importing high-quality seeds in a bid to ensure higher productivity in the country. The market demand was assessed based on the bids received from Marz Governors. The selling price will be lower than the market one: the government is thereby subsidizing nearly 40% of the cost. This year’s feature is that we are importing a larger amount of honey-lotus – about 530 tons for the first time to be chiefly used as cattle feed that is supposed to drastically change the situation.”
The government adopted a decision on the application of certain provisions of the law “On temporary disability benefits.” It was established that from January 1, 2013, employers will have to pay the benefit as part of the income tax payable to the State budget. Starting this January 1, disability benefits will be included in the amount of the average monthly salary. The new decision will be effective until the passing of the bill on amendments to the law “On temporary disability benefits.”
The meeting approved a program and an action plan for the “Come back home” program in 2013. Some 900 young people from the Diaspora are expected to visit Armenia this year. They first will stay with local families, after which they will join their peers to participate in the “Come back home” campus.
The government adopted two decisions approving first a proposal on signing an agreement between the governments of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Iraq which entitles diplomatic and official passport holders to enter the respective countries without a visa, as well as an arrangement on cooperation in the field of education and science
