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Less Quantity But Better Guality Grapes in the Eastern Rhodopes
Grapes and wine producers from the Eastern Rhodopes anticipate that this year the harvest to be nearly twice lower but the quality will be higher.
Especially high was the impact of the drought, said Dimo Karaboyukov from the village of Popovets who grows 5 ha vineyard. Karabayukov is from the network of the New Thracian Gold (NTG) in the Eastern Rhodopes. He is expecting the certificate for organic production by the end of 2012. Karaboyukov produces homemade wine, which tourists can taste in his house in the village of Popovets, Municipality of Stambolovo.
Another producer from the network of NTG - Georgi Shishkov from the village of Tankovo, expects to get his certificate in the autumn of 2013. He said that this year's the grapes are with better quality, but much less than previous years due to the rain, the hail, the drought. Shishkov has 4 ha of vineyards and plans to increase it by another 2 ha of table grapes.
Yonko Todorov from the village of Stambolovo grows 13,5 ha of mainly wine grapes. In March 2012, his "Tokmakli - Cabernet Franc 2011" won the second prize of the contest for best red wine Consumer's choice at FoodTech Expo and Vinaria Expo in Plovdiv. "This year's crop is twice as small in quantity, but with twice the quality," he said. Todorov expects his certificate for organic production of grapes in December 2012.
The NTG network of grapes and wine producers of is supported by the project with training, consultancy and covering part of the costs for the organic certification and new machinery for farming and vineyard cultivation (tillage, mulching and fertilization). The most perspective producers of organic grapes and wine in the region of Haskovo will be supported in the sales of their product in guest houses, larger restaurants and shops in the area.
Read here about the possibilities to visit the farmers in the Eastern Rhodopes
