Armenian Farmer Says He’d Sooner Throw Grapes Away Than Sell to Wineries

A local winery still owes Kaghtrashen grape farmer Zakar Petrosyan AMD 520 thousand for produce purchased from him last autumn. Speaking to Epress.am today, Zakaryan said that this year he would sooner let the grapes dry up on the vine than sell the produce to wine producers.

The farmer added that he intended to sell this season's 3-4 tonnes of produce at the market and throw whatever is left away. “Throwing away is more profitable than [selling to wineries],” Zakaryan said, “Besides, that way I'd save time since I wouldn't have to hold protest actions outside the Government office demanding the money for the purchased grapes.” 

Zakaryan no longer expects to receive any money from the winery; he is convinced that “it's ancient history now.”

Note, after an unusually rich harvest in the fall of 2015, the farmers of Kaghtsrashen had to sell the grapes to the local Vinar winery for as little as 40 drams per kilogram. The company, however, failed to  pay the grape growers money in time, causing them to hold a number of protests in front of the Armenian government building and the presidential residence in Yerevan.