YEREVAN, April 4. /ARKA/. The government of Armenia has approved today a program on subsidizing interest rates on loans provided for installment of anti-hail grids.

Minister of Agriculture Gegham Gevorgyan said the subsidies will apply to loans for the installation of anti-hail grids for fruit and vine gardens ranging from 0.5 to 10 hectares.

He said the decision is aimed to make loans available to business entities at the rate of 2% per annum, while residents of border villages and cooperatives with 3 hectares of gardens will be offered loans at zero rates. Subsidies will be awarded for a period of 7 years with a grace period of one year.

He said the government has already approved 11 similar programs of agricultural assistance, which are expected to significantly enhance this sector.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan pointed out the need to involve television channels for dissemination of information about the program and its benefits.

"Television remains the main source of information in the villages and it is necessary to conduct a full-fledged and large-scale campaign to present the benefits of this program of preferential loans to residents of the regions," he said.--0--