Trade centers worth about 360 million rubles will be built in six districts of Abkhazia within the framework of the investment program for assistance in socio-economic development of the republic this year, the Respublika Abkhazia paper quotes Agriculture Minister Rafik Otyrba.
The centers will buy citrus fruits, diospyros, feijoa, grapes, fruits, vegetables and dairy products from the local population and make deals with Russian buyers. The centers will sell mineral fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, agricultural equipment, forage, sugar, wheat flour and other essentials with a markup of 30% maximum, taking into account the freighting costs. The bases will have small markets for selling agricultural products, goats, sheep and chickens. Equipment worth 30 million rubles will be purchased for non-bulk commodities. Such bases, according to Otyrba, will stimulate agricultural production. The demand for farmers’ products will encourage them to plant gardens, grow vegetables, develop animal husbandry and poultry breeding. 45 million rubles from the local budget will be paid to support private agricultural business according to contracts and non-interest-bearing debts. In the minister’s words, the investment program stipulates construction of two canned food factories to process agricultural products in the Gulripshi and Ochamchir districts for 424 million rubles. An additional 41 million rubles will be invested in construction of a republican unitary enterprise Abkhazmed of the Agriculture Ministry in the Gulripshi District to purify and pack bee products. 140 million rubles will be invested in the Amlagur republican unitary enterprise and 37 million rubles in Aquafood. The minister added that the republic has developed projects for construction of a factory to process hazelnuts, a laurel complex, a complex for production of oil emulsion and a unique enterprise for processing waste using bio materials and produce bio organic fertilizers.
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North Ossetian authorities are asking national banks to freeze the interest rates of loans granted to active small and medium-scale business, the Severnaya Osetiya paper reports. The Russian Central Bank raised the refinancing rate of credit and financial organizations in North Ossetia, resulting in unilateral growth of interest rates for active loans, according to invoices from small and medium-scale business. North Ossetian Prime Minister Sergey Takoyev met with bank managers and noted that most loans for small and medium-scale business were essential in filling turnover funds, purchase of raw materials, production of goods and services. “Any rise of the interest rate together with related inflation processes will inevitably cause expenses, increase of costs of products and services, undermine real plans for expansion of existing industries and creation of additional workplaces. According to the worst scenario, it may result in mass bankruptcies of businessmen, loan defaults, aggravate the problem of economy in the country, and in the banking system too,” the prime minister said. He noted the need for short-term freezing of interest rates of active loans and further restriction of their rise within a limit of 2-3%. The possible increase of interest rates of short-term investment loans will total 5-6%. The credit portfolio of banks in the republic totals 13.124 billion rubles, 5.68 billion of which are loans granted to individuals.
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The economy of Armenia was exceptionally sensitive to the sudden change in the foreign economic climate that will most likely affect it this year, the Golos Armenii newspaper reports. Negative effects of the Russian economy will keep their effects via commerce, exports, finances, investments and cash transfers. The global rise of the dollar and abrupt devaluation of the Russian ruble have weakened the national currency by 15%. Armenia achieved a significant improvement in its GDP growth at the end of the year with the help of an industrial and agricultural boost (the latter was highlighted by active greenhouse construction, which accumulated about a third of the growth) and despite construction falling throughout the country for years. The state budget is in a stable condition, the balance of payments, however, dropped by 31.7% (or $714 million), compared with the start of the year, making $1.53 billion, as of late November. Inflation in Armenia fluctuated at around 4% throughout the previous year, threatening to weaken the dram. This effect and the correction of prices provoked by Armenia’s joining the EaEU may push the consumer index to the upper limit of the price corridor, possibly even taking it beyond the purpose indicator. The reduction of prices for energy carriers may soften it though.
The Armenian Statistical Service has published the final inflation results. According to them, the consumer prices in January-December 2014 increased by only 3%, compared with the same period in 2013. The growth of alcohol and tobacco prices by 7.1% and services by 5.1% had a significant impact on the indicator. Food products grew in price by only 1.7%.
The Eurasian Development Bank predicts that the situation in Armenia will be affected by a possible deceleration of economic growth in Russia and Armenia’s membership in the EaEU, which will have a positive effect on increase of exports of agricultural products to EaEU members, especially in the context of anti-Russian sanctions. Overall, the analysts of the bank say that the GDP of Armenia in 2015 would hardly differ from the volume in 2014.
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2015 was declared Year of Agriculture in Azerbaijan, and the Region Plus daily paper reports that the country is realizing quite a few projects for development of agriculture. According to President Ilham Aliyev’s orders, measures were taken in 2014 to modernize management and speed up institutional reforms in the agricultural sector to form a more rational structure of agriculture. The initiatives include preservation and fertilization of farmlands, restoration of soil suffering from salt and erosion, improvement of staff training, formation of agricultueal parks, systems of electronic government. The law on agricultural cooperation was adopted to stimulate farmers and allow them to group into large agricultural enterprises. As of today, 37% of the employable population works in the agricultural sector.
According to Oxfam, Azerbaijan produces 78% of the food it consumes. The country produced 30-35% of meat and dairy products when it achieved independence, the volumes today have reached 92% and 76% respectively. The production volumes in all agricultural sectors, except grain, increased in 2014. State programs for animal husbandry, grape and tea production are realized with success. Concerning grain production, about 20 large farms with an average yield of 55 centners per hectare are under construction, the average yield in the country is 23 centners per hectare. Formation of 19 large farms continues in 12 districts of the republic. Over 30,000 hectares of land were provided for them. 17,000 new farmlands will be exploited, irrigation was improved on an additional 54,000 hectares. Exports of fruits increased by 12.5% and vegetables by over 28% in 11 months of 2014. Azerbaijan no longer imports potatoes, it exports over 50,000 tons of them instead. Gasification, reconstruction and construction of power lines and roads continues. 300 artesian wells will be dug in 2015, module-type water-treatment facilities will be built in 50 villages.
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Karachay-Cherkessian Minister for Education and Science Muradin Mambetov will start having regular meetings with pedagogues and parents of pupils, the Den Respubliki newspaper reports. The first such meeting took place in the Abazinsky District, where the minister admitted that Unified State Exams in the republic in 2014 were unsatisfactory. 235 pupils failed to pass the exams. On the other hand, the Unified State Exams created equal conditions for all pupils. “Even though our children did not get the high scores they had wanted to, justice prevailed. Now, it is obvious to everyone: a school requires studying! Knowledge is the only mechanism to receive a diploma and enter a higher education center,” emphasized Mambetov.
The minister discussed the problem of high grades given for money. Deputy Minisster Svetlana Khapchayeva reminded that the goal of teachers was to find “a key” for every child to provoke interest in school subjects, desire to study. Keeping pupils down for another year should only happen when no other means work, believes the official.
Mambetov noted that his ministry was informed about unskilled teachers in districts and cities. They need professional qualifications. Karachay-Cherkessian Leader Rashid Temrezov and MSU Rector Victor Sadovnichy signed an agreement in late 2014 to send 50 Russian language teachers to the largest higher education centers of Russia to improve their skills. The progress of many children starts to fade after grade 5. This is a result of poor basic education. According to Mambetov, the republic will create a combination of schools and nurseries with a common education space, a constant education process. The minister will hold his next regular meeting in the Adyghe-Khablsky District.
Caucasus domestic and foreign political events in local pressTrade centers worth about 360 million rubles will be built in six districts of Abkhazia within the framework of the investment program for assistance in socio-economic development of the republic this year, the Respublika Abkhazia paper quotes Agriculture Minister Rafik Otyrba.The centers will buy citrus fruits, diospyros, feijoa, grapes, fruits, vegetables and dairy products from the local population and make deals with Russian buyers. The centers will sell mineral fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, agricultural equipment, forage, sugar, wheat flour and other essentials with a markup of 30% maximum, taking into account the freighting costs. The bases will have small markets for selling agricultural products, goats, sheep and chickens. Equipment worth 30 million rubles will be purchased for non-bulk commodities. Such bases, according to Otyrba, will stimulate agricultural production. The demand for farmers’ products will encourage them to plant gardens, grow vegetables, develop animal husbandry and poultry breeding. 45 million rubles from the local budget will be paid to support private agricultural business according to contracts and non-interest-bearing debts. In the minister’s words, the investment program stipulates construction of two canned food factories to process agricultural products in the Gulripshi and Ochamchir districts for 424 million rubles. An additional 41 million rubles will be invested in construction of a republican unitary enterprise Abkhazmed of the Agriculture Ministry in the Gulripshi District to purify and pack bee products. 140 million rubles will be invested in the Amlagur republican unitary enterprise and 37 million rubles in Aquafood. The minister added that the republic has developed projects for construction of a factory to process hazelnuts, a laurel complex, a complex for production of oil emulsion and a unique enterprise for processing waste using bio materials and produce bio organic fertilizers.* * *North Ossetian authorities are asking national banks to freeze the interest rates of loans granted to active small and medium-scale business, the Severnaya Osetiya paper reports. The Russian Central Bank raised the refinancing rate of credit and financial organizations in North Ossetia, resulting in unilateral growth of interest rates for active loans, according to invoices from small and medium-scale business. North Ossetian Prime Minister Sergey Takoyev met with bank managers and noted that most loans for small and medium-scale business were essential in filling turnover funds, purchase of raw materials, production of goods and services. “Any rise of the interest rate together with related inflation processes will inevitably cause expenses, increase of costs of products and services, undermine real plans for expansion of existing industries and creation of additional workplaces. According to the worst scenario, it may result in mass bankruptcies of businessmen, loan defaults, aggravate the problem of economy in the country, and in the banking system too,” the prime minister said. He noted the need for short-term freezing of interest rates of active loans and further restriction of their rise within a limit of 2-3%. The possible increase of interest rates of short-term investment loans will total 5-6%. The credit portfolio of banks in the republic totals 13.124 billion rubles, 5.68 billion of which are loans granted to individuals.* * *The economy of Armenia was exceptionally sensitive to the sudden change in the foreign economic climate that will most likely affect it this year, the Golos Armenii newspaper reports. Negative effects of the Russian economy will keep their effects via commerce, exports, finances, investments and cash transfers. The global rise of the dollar and abrupt devaluation of the Russian ruble have weakened the national currency by 15%. Armenia achieved a significant improvement in its GDP growth at the end of the year with the help of an industrial and agricultural boost (the latter was highlighted by active greenhouse construction, which accumulated about a third of the growth) and despite construction falling throughout the country for years. The state budget is in a stable condition, the balance of payments, however, dropped by 31.7% (or $714 million), compared with the start of the year, making $1.53 billion, as of late November. Inflation in Armenia fluctuated at around 4% throughout the previous year, threatening to weaken the dram. This effect and the correction of prices provoked by Armenia’s joining the EaEU may push the consumer index to the upper limit of the price corridor, possibly even taking it beyond the purpose indicator. The reduction of prices for energy carriers may soften it though. The Armenian Statistical Service has published the final inflation results. According to them, the consumer prices in January-December 2014 increased by only 3%, compared with the same period in 2013. The growth of alcohol and tobacco prices by 7.1% and services by 5.1% had a significant impact on the indicator. Food products grew in price by only 1.7%. The Eurasian Development Bank predicts that the situation in Armenia will be affected by a possible deceleration of economic growth in Russia and Armenia’s membership in the EaEU, which will have a positive effect on increase of exports of agricultural products to EaEU members, especially in the context of anti-Russian sanctions. Overall, the analysts of the bank say that the GDP of Armenia in 2015 would hardly differ from the volume in 2014.* * *2015 was declared Year of Agriculture in Azerbaijan, and the Region Plus daily paper reports that the country is realizing quite a few projects for development of agriculture. According to President Ilham Aliyev’s orders, measures were taken in 2014 to modernize management and speed up institutional reforms in the agricultural sector to form a more rational structure of agriculture. The initiatives include preservation and fertilization of farmlands, restoration of soil suffering from salt and erosion, improvement of staff training, formation of agricultueal parks, systems of electronic government. The law on agricultural cooperation was adopted to stimulate farmers and allow them to group into large agricultural enterprises. As of today, 37% of the employable population works in the agricultural sector.According to Oxfam, Azerbaijan produces 78% of the food it consumes. The country produced 30-35% of meat and dairy products when it achieved independence, the volumes today have reached 92% and 76% respectively. The production volumes in all agricultural sectors, except grain, increased in 2014. State programs for animal husbandry, grape and tea production are realized with success. Concerning grain production, about 20 large farms with an average yield of 55 centners per hectare are under construction, the average yield in the country is 23 centners per hectare. Formation of 19 large farms continues in 12 districts of the republic. Over 30,000 hectares of land were provided for them. 17,000 new farmlands will be exploited, irrigation was improved on an additional 54,000 hectares. Exports of fruits increased by 12.5% and vegetables by over 28% in 11 months of 2014. Azerbaijan no longer imports potatoes, it exports over 50,000 tons of them instead. Gasification, reconstruction and construction of power lines and roads continues. 300 artesian wells will be dug in 2015, module-type water-treatment facilities will be built in 50 villages.* * *Karachay-Cherkessian Minister for Education and Science Muradin Mambetov will start having regular meetings with pedagogues and parents of pupils, the Den Respubliki newspaper reports. The first such meeting took place in the Abazinsky District, where the minister admitted that Unified State Exams in the republic in 2014 were unsatisfactory. 235 pupils failed to pass the exams. On the other hand, the Unified State Exams created equal conditions for all pupils. “Even though our children did not get the high scores they had wanted to, justice prevailed. Now, it is obvious to everyone: a school requires studying! Knowledge is the only mechanism to receive a diploma and enter a higher education center,” emphasized Mambetov. The minister discussed the problem of high grades given for money. Deputy Minisster Svetlana Khapchayeva reminded that the goal of teachers was to find “a key” for every child to provoke interest in school subjects, desire to study. Keeping pupils down for another year should only happen when no other means work, believes the official. Mambetov noted that his ministry was informed about unskilled teachers in districts and cities. They need professional qualifications. Karachay-Cherkessian Leader Rashid Temrezov and MSU Rector Victor Sadovnichy signed an agreement in late 2014 to send 50 Russian language teachers to the largest higher education centers of Russia to improve their skills. The progress of many children starts to fade after grade 5. This is a result of poor basic education. According to Mambetov, the republic will create a combination of schools and nurseries with a common education space, a constant education process. The minister will hold his next regular meeting in the Adyghe-Khablsky Dist
