Armenian Minister of Agriculture Artur Khachatryan today met with farmers of several Armavir communities who suffered recent heavy hail damage and was bombarded with a host of complaints ranging from compensation to the refinancing of loans.

Khachatryan promised that the government would assist the farmers but was short on specifics.

When Lernamerdz community Mayor Vardan Mirzoyan told the minister that the bank raised his loan rate from 8% to 20% during previous years during hailstorms, Khachatryan said he’ll be meeting with bank officials on Sunday and would raise the issue.

Khachatryan denied Mirzoyan’s allegation that a plant in neighboring Voskevaz was buying apricots from farmers for 40 drams a kilo.

Samvel Hovhannisyan, a resident of Aghavnatoun, asked the minister if the country’s peasants would see a tangible difference between the current government and the past one.

“As citizens of the republic we have felt it. We are happy and enthused. But, as a peasant, working on all fours on the land, will we feel the difference? Will we feel the government backing us up?” Hovhannisyan asked.

“What must it be for you to feel it? Like I said, there’ll be compensation. But it won’t be 100%,” Minister Khachatryan replied.