Armenian Grape Farmers Finally Get Paid for Last Year’s Produce

Grape farmers from the village of Aghavnadzor in Armenia's Vayots Dzor province are finally getting paid for the produce that was purchased from them last fall by Vedi Alco winery. Speaking to Epress.am, vinegrower Kostan Stepanyan said today that the winery has started making the overdue payments over the past several days.

“Almost everyone has already gotten paid; the last batch [of farmers] was to receive the money today,” Kostanyan added.

The Aghavnadzor grape farmers first began their demonstrations in protest against the winery’s continued failure to pay their money – a total of 140 million drams (nearly $295,000) – by blocking the entrance to the local school on September. Vayots Dzor governor Harutyun Sargsyan, along with Vedi Alco owner Manvel Ghazaryan, was quick to come to the scene and promise that he would personally make sure the winery paid the villagers' money by September 15. After Sargsyan failed to keep his word, the farmers resumed their protests and locked the main highway leading to capital Yerevan.