Farmers Threaten to Block Artashat-Yerevan Highway Over Slaughterhouse Regulation

Farmers in the Ararat region are protesting against the mandatory slaughterhouse meat requirements that will come into effect on December 6, threatening to block the Artashat-Yerevan highway. This information was shared with Sputnik Armenia by Vahik Ayvazyan, a resident of the village of Mrgavets, who is currently participating in a protest with fellow villagers and residents from other villages in the region.

Starting December 6, new regulations regarding the sale of slaughterhouse meat will be implemented, prohibiting the sale of animal-derived products and raw materials obtained from non-slaughterhouse slaughtering. If detected, the entire batch will be confiscated and destroyed.

“The law requires the animal to be slaughtered in a slaughterhouse, which is not beneficial for the farmers. A farmer keeps one animal, one pig, to slaughter for the New Year to make some profit, to pay off debt, to celebrate the New Year. Now they tell the farmer, ‘Take it to the slaughterhouse.’ Where can we take the slaughterhouse? How can we take it, and with what?” Ayvazyan stated.

According to Ayvazyan, the nearest slaughterhouse is located 15 kilometers away from their village. The farmer would have to pay a significant amount to transport the animal there. Furthermore, on the way, the animal gets injured in the cargo truck, leading to low-quality meat due to bruises and damage caused during transport and slaughter.

“They should not impose this on the people; let the slaughterhouses operate and justify themselves so that the people can trust them and go to the slaughterhouse with a request. We ask the food inspection agency, ‘How do we take it, what do we take it with, how can we trust the slaughterhouse?’ They say, ‘That doesn't concern us.’ Well, who does it concern?” Ayvazyan remarked, adding that slaughterhouse slaughtering has been carried out for 3-4 years, but the slaughterhouses have failed to gain the trust of the farmers.

Participants in the protest on the Artashat highway are waiting for responses to their questions from representatives of the government and the regional administration. Otherwise, they threaten to block the road, as they claim that only then do officials feel the need to go and meet with the people on-site.