Painstaking work of Marat Mehrabyan

Marat Mehrabyan is from Stepanakert. When Azerbaijan blocked the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia on December 12, 2022, Marat, like many, decided to take up farming, because first of all you need to rely on your own strength. On the area of about 6000 sq.m. close to the administrative District of Aygestan, he began to carry out agricultural work. He thought that he would take care of the needs of the family and be able to provide the surplus.

This was his first experience. Marat planted potatoes, beans and other vegetable crops. He was already supposed to harvest early-ripening potatoes and beans, when on June 30, the terrible hail destroyed the result of the farmer’s work. As Marat says, only a few potatoes were saved, which he was able to put up for sale. He had to start everything from scratch.

“Our efforts were washed away by torrential hail and rain. Within minutes, our vegetable garden turned into a deserted place. Of course, at first we were desperate, then we thought that we should still achieve our goals. We tried to revive the vegetable garden again, and thank God, we succeeded. Gradually we increased the number of seedlings. Of course, we work a lot, but there is no work that does not require effort and energy. There is a significant lack of almost all the products such as oil, sugar, pasta, sweets, etc. Today the people of Artsakh are fed only with the products that the earth gives us. We thank God that we are so strong,” the farmer said.

Marat Mehrabyan is happy that he can satisfy his family, friends and relatives with agricultural products, and put some of them up for sale in Stepanakert. His father, wife, son and daughter help him. As he says, when there is love and warmth in the family, any difficulties can be overcome.