Wednesday, August 14 2019 16:56

ArmInfo. Businessman from the United States, Ruben Mkrtchyan, who arrived in Armenia to grow hemp for the purpose of further exporting his products, spoke at a press conference in Noyan Tapan on August 14, stating that employees of the  Police Department for Combating Organized Crime had suddenly arrived  with searches on the plantation and destroyed the landing.

The businessman admitted that he does not have written permission  from the government to grow plants of the hemp family, however, in  May 2019, having enlisted the support of law enforcement agencies in  protecting the sowing territories, the company began growing plants  by renting land in the Ararat, Gegharkunik and Tavush regions.

According to the logic of the founder of the company, they planned  that after the seeds ripen, they will send samples for examination so  that there are no suspicions that the plants are drugs, explaining  that there is nothing criminal in their actions, and the content of  psychotropic substances in this type of plant only 0.3%.

<We only have a verbal arrangement with representatives of the office  of Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan. Unfortunately, permission  was given 3 3 months delay, since in the climatic conditions of  Armenia crops can be harvested in September and October. We hope that  after today's announcement, the Armenian government will express its  willingness to meet with us, and as a result will issue a license for  growing and processing the plant,> he added.

According to him, despite the actions of law enforcement, the company  will continue its activities.  Mkrtchyan said that he plans to bring  his farm to serious international heights over the next seven years,  organizing production with growing demand, paving the way for foreign  markets in the United States, a number of European countries, China,  Russia, and creating thousands of jobs. "There are no problems with  the sale of products, as the demand around the world is unlimited and  constantly growing," he said, noting that in many countries hemp  production for export has made market of billions dollars.

According to him, the size of investments in Armenia can be brought  up to 50 million US dollars, and the number of jobs up to 10 thousand  people.  It should be noted that the American cosmetics company  HEMPZ, founded in 2000, manufactures professional cosmetics for hair,  body and face, based on refined hemp oil, and the potential size of  the hemp market exceeds by far the majority of healthcare segments,  including oncology, which explains the interest of investors. The  program is based on the cultivation and processing of the Hemp  culture.