Agriculture Minister Gerasim Alaverdyan, in response to a question posed by Hetq, said he was well aware of the problems rural farmers face when taking out bank loans. "Let us assume that farming is like the construction field or another production process. The farmers, or businessmen, take out loans and then fail in their business. Do you think these people will dare to say, look here, I was unsuccessful in my business and I want to be reimbursed for my interest payments? But I study the agriculture industry , in all its details, and I can say that farmers know that when they take out a loan there are risks involved." Minister Alaverdyan said that this year, due to unfavorable climatic conditions, the risks have slightly increased. He said that this was the business commercial banks are involved in. "If a villager sells his crops, then a bank sells its money. Naturally, the higher the interest, the greater the profit for the bank," was how Minister Alaverdyan described the process. He said the issue had been discussed and studied, both within the National Assembly and the government, and that based on the findings an appropriate resolution would be reached. Minister Alaverdyan added that the possibility existed for the government to allocate interest subsidies in Shirak and Gegharkunik, two of the three target regions designated by the government.