Water Prices Should Increase to Motivate Farmers to Save: Kerobyan

It is better to cancel irrigation water subsidies. This way, farmers will be motivated to install drip irrigation systems. This was stated today, June 14, during a government hour at the National Assembly by Economy Minister Vahan Kerobyan, in response to questions from lawmakers.

He specifically noted that around 1,500 hectares of orchards, including other plantations, are equipped with drip irrigation annually. Recently, rainwater harvesting systems have also gained popularity.

“Nevertheless, only about 10,000 hectares of land, or 2-3 percent of cultivated land, is irrigated using modern methods,” the minister pointed out.

Moreover, there are subsidies in the country for the installation of such systems. “They do not gain significant financial benefits from water conservation, perhaps also because the government subsidizes a considerable part of its cost. Water prices need to increase so that farmers have a greater motivation to conserve,” added Kerobyan.