Grape harvest 2015

The 2015 grape harvest is over and Georgia has enjoyed a record number of harvested wine grapes.

A total of 143,167 tonnes of grapes were processed in Georgia’s nine wine-producing villages.

By selling this yield, farmers generated a collective income of more than 102 million GEL.

About 18,000 farmers sold their grapes to wine companies, who will now turn the grapes into wine to be sold locally or exported abroad, according to Georgia’s Agriculture Ministry.

About 14,000 tonnes of grapes have been processed in Georgia’s leading wine-making region of Kakheti. Meanwhile, another wine-producing region – Racha-Lechkhumi - processed 1,500 tonnes of grapes, of which 1,325 tonnes were of the Aleksandrouli and Mujuretuli grape varieties.

In Kakheti, farmers earned about 100 million GEL, while in Racha-Lechkhumi their income reached 6.6 million GEL.

While summing up this year’s harvest, Georgia’s Agriculture Minister Otar Danelia said the average price for one kilogram of grapes in Racha was five GEL. The Minister explained the high price was offered because "the high-mountain regions need more motivation”.

Meanwhile, Danelia thanked the Ministry and all the agencies that were involved in this year’s grape harvest activities. (Agenda.ge)