Categories
Journalistic Survey
Articles
Reportage
Analitic
Photo Reportage
Exclusive
Interview
Foreign Media about Georgia
Editorial
Position
Reader's opinion
Blog
Themes
Children's Rights
Women's Rights
Justice
Refugees/IDPs
Minorities
Media
Army
Health
Corruption
Elections
Education
Penitentiary
Religion
Others

2008 Grape Harvest Rotting-on-the-vine in Alazani River Valley

September 9, 2008

 Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti

Georgian government has started a program for the subsidization of viticulture. Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili announced the recent initiative during a meeting with grape producers in Telavi, (Kakheti region of East Georgia He stated that 8 million GEL will be allocated from the national budget for the purpose. The price of 25 tetri will be determined for each kilo of red grapes and 15 tetri for white grapes. “The state is capable of organizing an agricultural policy in order to protect peasants from damage,” stated the first official of the country. Despite his statements, the harvest is rotting in the villages of Samtatskaro, Firosmani, Sabatlo and other villages along the Alazani Embankment. The grapes ripen in the middle of august and now it is getting spoiled already. None of the wine-factories located in the region has started to accept grape.

This year the harvest is very poor in Kakheti. According to the Georgian Ministry of Agriculture last year the total amount of the grape were 200 thousand tones but this year it will only produce 130 thousand tones. The president discussed the issue during his visit in Kakheti. Saakashvili stated that part of harvest was damaged by natural conditions. The harvest was also reduced since many villagers were unable to properly tend their vineyards because of a lack of financial resources.

“I sprayed my vineyard eight times with insecticides and it was so expensive. I used the recommended rate purchased the agricultural chemicals at special shops recommended by the government. It was necessary to even take out a loan to cover my production costs.  However, now I do not know how to pay that loan because almost 80 % of my harvest has been destroyed and the price for the harvest is so low. I am 72 and I cannot remember when vines were ever so damaged in all my years as a grower. Many farmers are suffering likewise,” said Valiko Jokhadze, a resident of the village of Chandari in Gurjaani district.

The peasants think that falsified venoms were delivered in the local shops deliberately. Authority did not want villagers to get huge harvest this year and they could avoid extra problems from them.

“We cannot think of any other reason. If agricultural sprays were not falsified there is no other reason why our harvest spoiled. Moreover, only the vineyards of small producers were damaged while wealthy farmers received a normal harvest. The growing season was otherwise normal for both kinds of producers. It is claimed that the authorities intentionally schemed to keep small growers from having a normal harvest. Anyway, we cannot look after the remaining grapes either. They continue making promises on TV but how long we should wait to see them fulfill them.  You can see for yourself how the grapes are just rotting-on-the-vine. Recently there was rain and it damaged even the healthy grapes. I could have started harvesting my grapes on August 20 but today is already September 8 and still I cannot bring in the harvest. Moreover, none of the local wine-factories are opening to receive this year’s harvest. Even if I wanted to start harvesting the crop when the grapes were first ripe there would still be no place to take them to sell.

-Did not you apply to special coordination HQ for “Vintage 2008” in Gurjaani?

-What sense did it make when I applied to them last year? Last year my neighbors and I visited that HQ together but we could not find any sober or responsible person there. Nobody ever assisted us at that office. Moreover, when purchasers arrived in Kakheti to buy our grape they warned everybody not to meet us without discussing the issue initially with them. They did not allow them to pay more than the government offered us.

-President promised that you would not face any problems about your harvest. Besides that you will be paid 15 tetri for one kilo of white grape in addition to the price the factory will pay you.

-Yes he promised but my grape is rotting in the vineyards and who will pay me for spoiled grapes. I am harvesting damaged grapes and feeding them to my pigs. The government should pay more attention to the problems of farmers. Only TV statements will not resolve our problems,” said Gogia Sakanelashvili, a resident of Samtaskaro.

According to the Kakheti Regional Administration, wine-factories will start receiving grapes in two days though the directors deny such information.

Koba Kobakhidze, director of Gurjaani wine-factory: “The factory is ready to receive grape but the organization which should have signed an agreement with us has not yet done it for this season and that’s why we cannot receive any grape yet.”

Eka Koroghlishvili, chairwoman of the Supervisory Board of theJSC “Kotekhi Wine-factory: “At this moment we are negotiating with the sponsor but I cannot say when it will finishes. We negotiate about the price of white grape (20 tetri for one kilo) that will be added by 15 tetri offered by the government. We do not intend to receive Saferavi (black grape) if we do not get corresponding order for the product.”

Goderdzi Gonashvili, director of Dedoflistskaro Wine Marani: “We intended receiving grape lately but cannot start processing yet because we were not yet given vouchers based on which peasants should receive state subsidies. The reason for the delay is that state experts have not checked the factory scale as yet. The examination will take a while at least 15 days. We intended to pay 35-40 tetri for one kilo of Saferavi.

Bakur Kvezereli, Georgian Minister of Agriculture, Vintage-2008 will be officially opened as of tomorrow.

-Mr. Bakur administrations of the wine-factories state that they have not finished their negotiations with sponsors and thus they are not able to receive grapes. Meanwhile, the harvest of the peasants in the villages of Alazani Embankment continues to rot and the overall quality is reduced.

How can you assist those peasants?

-You should not worry about that. Do not be afraid of what is happening – as nothing is rotting on the vine.

 

 

News