Grape harvest 2016: 16,300 tonnes of grapes picked so far

Grape growers in Georgia’s famous Kakheti wine region are enjoying the benefits of a bumper harvest.

Already this year farmers have earned 13.4 million GEL by selling about 16,300 tonnes of grapes.

The Georgian National Wine Agency said local growers had processed following grape varieties:

• Rkatsiteli - 6,300 tonnes
• Saperavi - 7,900 tonnes
• Kakhuri Mtsvane – 827 tonnes

So far this season most grapes were processed in Kakheti’s Sighnaghi municipality.

Different areas in Kakheti processed different amounts of grapes. See below:

• Sighnaghi – 4,900 tonnes
• Gurjaani – 3,500 tonnes
• Kvareli – 3,400 tonnes
• Telavi – 3,200 tonnes
• Dedoplistskaro – 1,100 tonnes
• Akhmeta – 94 tonnes
• Lagodekhi – 88 tonnes
• Sagarejo – 55 tonnes

In Kakheti 40 wine companies are involved in grape processing works, including six wine enterprises that were hired by the state.

On another note 103 wine producing companies were registered at a special grape harvest coordination centre so far, said the Agency.