“Grape procurement is at risk at the moment.” Ashot Harutyunyan

For the third month already, the entry of a number of agricultural products into the Russian market is prohibited, according to the Russian side, the reason is the quality of these products. Producers of tomatoes, apricots, peppers, cucumbers and other fruits and vegetables constantly complain that the crop spoils on the spot, in response to which the Government says it will provide compensation.

Moreover, he declares that they can export to the EU market, which Armenian producers do not consider realistic, and in the volumes that they previously exported to Russia.

Soon it will be the grape harvest season, will the grape growers also face the same problem, taking into account the fact that along with the arrest of PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan, the doors of the Yerevan wine and brandy factory were also closed.

According to former Deputy Minister of Agriculture Ashot Harutyunyan, the problem with grapes is more chain-related. if, for example, in the case of apricots, it is the grower, seller or buyer and export, then in the case of grapes it is different: technical varieties, more than 90 percent of alcohol and wine are mainly procured by Armenian companies.

“If these companies cannot export their wine and cognac normally, it means that they will have financial and container problems. It means that about 200 thousand tons of grapes (we are talking about last year’s procurement), which is a serious problem. At the moment, stocking is in danger, due to containers, if they don’t have containers, they can’t stock up, along with that, financial problems will also appear.” 168.am–said in a conversation with Ashot Harutyunyan.

According to our interlocutor, table grape varieties are mainly consumed in the local market and exported to the EAEU market.

“But, as you know, now the road is closed, the blockade is also in place, the problem is serious in this regard, because the local market with refrigerators and sales cannot provide that much.

As for exporting to the EU market, unlike apricots, which are often said to be Armenian apricots as a brand, grapes generally do not have a serious place in Europe, because in Italy, Hungary, Turkey, not to mention France, table varieties are grown that are eye-catching and taste good. There are also Kazakh grapes there, we do not have an advantage in the case of grapes in the EU market,” Ashot Harutyunyan stressed.

Last year, the grape growers were satisfied with the volume of the grape harvest, but this year they expect a small harvest.

One of the grape growers of Ararat Marz, Karen Mikayelyan, 168.amtold that although they have already signed the contract with the procurement company, the volume of the harvest this year is generally very small.

“Compared to the previous year, this year’s harvest is not good. This year’s harvest is not good. The reasons are different: the weather, well, it depends on the year. Some years we get a good harvest, some years we don’t. I personally will not have a problem with procurement, the contract is signed, the harvest is not enough, they will be harvested,” said our interlocutor.

According to him, despite the fact that the harvest is small, the procurement company has not changed procurement prices, it will procure at the same price as last year: 130-135 AMD per kg.

“I have not changed the supplier company, I always deliver to that company. We don’t export grapes outside of Armenia, they haven’t taken them for 2 years now. We used to deliver to the exporting company, that company also exported, but this year there is still no conversation. Let’s see, maybe it will be in September, during that period it happens that the grapes are already accepted and exported. But I say, there is no such conversation yet,” emphasized our interlocutor.

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