Edik Baghdasaryan, David Banuchyan

Pedro Zarokian, who moved to Armenia from Los Angeles, never thought he’d be working with the earth in the homeland.  

At first, he wanted to start a small enterprise and he brought some experimental materials with him. After dealing with Armenian customs officials Pedro changed his mind.

A friend advised him to invest in agriculture. Pedro immediately decided to buy a piece of this rocky land. He says that the soil springs up. Pedro, who knew nothing about farming, set about starting a garden some 90 kilometers from Yerevan in the Armavir village of Bagaran close to the border with Turkey.

He started to learn how to farm. He attended classes, read books, met with local farmers and vintners, and studied the experience of other countries. On the way to his land he talks about his fruit trees – apples, walnuts – and his grapevines.  An economist by profession, Pedro has now become an agronomist. He’s making a study of trees and tells me the different benefits of his land for growing grapes. He’s convinced that in Armenia the prospects for developing agriculture and tourism exist in tandem. Pedro tells me that once he starts producing his own wine, a section of the vineyard will be turned into a taste testing center for tourists.