Yerevan, December 3, Armenpress: Armenian agriculture minister David Lokian told ArmenPress that an Italian delegation that is due in Armenia on December 6 will travel also to the town of Spitak to learn on ground whether a former sugar-refinery there can be restored.

According to previous estimations, redeveloping the Spitak region with new investments for sugar beets processing - producing jobs and sugar for Armenia, was estimated to require investments in the range of $110-135 million.

Italians also intend to found a modern joint meat processing venture and to promote Italian technologies in Armenia. Apart from this the government of Italy has pledged to finance through UN Food Agricultural Organization (FAO) a major project on potato cultivation.

The minister said also a team of Armenian businessmen and experts engaged in wine-making will fly next February to Thailand to pass their experience to Thai counterparts.

Also agriculture experts from the Baltic states are coming soon to Armenia to share their experience in building border check points.

The minister said effective cooperation with the US Department of Agriculture Yerevan office will continue next year. Cooperation arrangements were also reached with businessmen in the United Arab Emirates, UN and other international organizations.