The rich harvest of Bulgarian grapes will not be harvested from the vineyards. Producers from the Septemvri region refuse to harvest it because the costs are high and the price of the produce is low. Imported grapes further devalue their labor. The industry is demanding state intervention because the sector is suffering serious damage in one of its best years, BNT reported.
In the small village of Vinogradets, the vineyard and grapes are a legacy and livelihood for all residents. This year's harvest is rich, but also difficult. In two days, Yordan and Ginka have not sold any of the hundreds of kilograms of the Rkatsiteli variety they harvested.
Yordan Doychev: “Look how clean it is, if I had sold it, there would have been at least one crushed grain. Now we are looking for 55 euro cents for it, and last year we were selling it for 1.40 - 1.60 leva.“
Five acres of the Bulgarian dimyat plantations that the family grows are also ready to be picked, but are doomed to remain in the field. Other varieties too.
Ginka Doycheva, grape grower: “Here I expect 10 tons, downstairs I also have about 2 tons of unpicked pamid – somewhere around 12 tons I expect. I will not pick it, because there is no one to give it to.“
A large part of the grapes this year will remain in the vineyards. Due to the low purchase price and lack of demand. In Vinogradets, they suspect that the jump in fuel prices and imported wine varieties disguised as dessert grapes are killing the local viticulture and winemaking.
Ginka Doycheva, grape grower: “Import of white grapes from Macedonia and Greece. It has a very big impact, here our Bulgarian production stands.“
Elinka Blagova, mayor of Vinogradets: “The state should intervene here – products that are produced here in Bulgaria should not be imported, they should be imported from abroad in order to undercut the market.“
The mayor of Vinogradets does not remember such a paradox – grapes of high quality and large quantity to remain in the field. Although, there are also pickers ready to work for 35-40 euros per day. And he worries about the people of the village.
Elinka Blagova, mayor of Vinogradec: “Everyone hopes for autumn to come, to go pick their grapes, to sell them, so they can buy firewood and coal for the winter, to be able to pay taxes, bills - to help themselves.“
If the situation does not change by the end of the grape harvest campaign, many people from Vinogradec are considering giving up their livelihood next year. And from this, the village will lose not only its fame, but also a large part of its name.