Hailstorm severely damages vineyards in Kakheti

Around 500 hectares of vineyards in Kakheti, Georgia's largest wine-making region have been affected by a recent bout of stormy weather.

Representatives of the 2018 grape harvest coordination centre have arrived in the damaged areas of Sagarejo, Gurjaani and Sighnaghi.

The hailstorm has damaged approximately three thousand tonnes of grapes, and winemakers can take their damaged grapes for sale in three different wine factories, director of the 2018 grape harvest coordination centre Andro Aslanishvili reported.

Despite the recent disaster, the 2018 grape harvest continues.  More than 100 thousand tonnes of grapes have been processed in Kakheti so far and the income of local farmers has already reached 155 million GEL, announced Aslanishvili.

The function of the coordination centre is to promote the organisation of the grape harvest and ensure accountability and traceability. 325 companies registered with the 2018 grave harvest coordination centre.