The Goris community in Syunik province has suffered a loss of 196 million drams due to a locust infestation on June 13. Armen Avetisyan, the head of the Goris community’s Department of Agriculture and Land Use, spoke about this issue on June 18. He mentioned that all the villages in the community have been affected to some extent, with Goris being the most affected, followed by Kharja, Vortan, and Hartashen villages. The village of Vortan has suffered a loss of 34 million drams in the agriculture sector, which represents 100 percent of their harvest. Karahunj also reported losses of 28 million drams, with various crops being affected.

Avetisyan stated that Goris has incurred a loss of 118 million drams, while Hartashen has suffered a loss of 14 million drams, specifically referring to agricultural crops. He also mentioned that the locust infestation has affected areas where grass has not yet been collected. Despite the completion of pesticide work to combat locusts, residents are still reporting damage to their residential premises, vehicles, and solar power systems to the community authorities.

According to Manuk Mnatsakanyan, the Head of the Development Center of Agriculture in Goris, locusts have recently affected many regions, including Syunik, Ararat, Kotayk, and Lori provinces. Mnatsakanyan expressed concern about the availability and prices of certain products in the local market, as locusts have affected local production. He noticed an increase in imported fruits, nectarines, and cherries, and believes that determining the prices of these products will be challenging due to the impact on local production costs.