Agriculture Minister Gerasim Alaverdyan noted at a press conference today that this year’s spring planting season had been pushed back a month due to March frosts and the heavy rainfalls that followed in April. As a result Minister Alaverdyan predicted that this year’s apricot harvest would be 30-40% less than last year’s, leading to a price increase in the much loved fruit. He also said that urgent measures must be taken to preserve whatever crop is harvested.