The winemaking company “Milestii Mici” began to collect the grapes from its vineyards. The white grape Riesling is gathered the first. The red sorts of grape are picked up later. The company’s administration estimates that its own harvest will total 1,000 tonnes, IPN reports.
The harvest launch was attended by Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vasile Bumacov. The official said the white grapes are now very popular, while the white wines made in Moldova became competitive on the international market. The harvest was projected to total 300,000 tonnes of grapes, but, owing to the drought, there will be gathered only 240,000 tonnes. The positive side is that the wine will be exceptional as the drought allowed the grapes to accumulate more sugar.
Vasile Bumacov expressed his optimism about the promotion of the Moldovan wines abroad owing to the reform in the winemaking and winegrowing sector. “The markets are not found, but are conquered. Exports to the U.S., the EU and China have increased, but we must work further,” he said.
The authorities are negotiating an advantageous lending line of €12 million with the European Investment Bank, for the winemakers who want to distill the unsold stores as the distillates are preserved better. According to the minister, the wine stores in Moldova amount to 250 million liters.
Director of the Wine Complex “Milestii Mici” Gheorghe Castravet said that besides the own harvest of 1,000 tonnes, the company will also purchase another 1,000 tonnes of grapes of such sorts as Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Muscat from other producers.
Gheorghe Castravet noted that the company’s sales over the last five years rose by about 15% a year. This will enable them to increase the salaries to an average of 5,000 lei. In 2006, “Milestii Mici” stropped exporting wine to Russia. China is now the main export market. Asked about the wines with limited shelf life that weren’t sold, the director said that if they are of a high quality, they are matured. In some cases, the shelf life can be extended by 1-2 years owing to special keeping conditions.
Gheorghe Castravet voiced hope that they will be able to remove the manual work from the winemaking process in the future as there is a shortage of workers now. Some of the people gathering grapes said they are satisfied with the 120-150 lei they earn a say, while others said they want salaries of 5,000 lei a month.
In January-June this year, Moldova exported 2.45 million fresh grapes to the value of 15.9 million lei. Exports of alcoholic beverages in the period came to 60 million liters, which is US$88.9 million, by 43 million liters fewer than in the corresponding period last year.
