site.btaOenologists' Union Reports 40% Growth in Wine Production

Oenologists' Union Reports 40% Growth in Wine Production

Pazardzhik/Veliko Turnovo, February 14 (BTA) - Last year was very successful for the Bulgarian wine producers, Minister of Agriculture and Food Dessislava Taneva said while attending a traditional wine cutting ceremony in the Ognyanovo Village, Pazardzhik Region.

An increase of wine production and exports was reported by the end of 2015 compared to previous years. Higher amounts were exported to countries, such as China, the United Kingdom and Germany. These are countries setting high standards and the growth of exports is indicative of the high quality of the Bulgarian-produced wines, the Minister observed.

There are a total of 262 wine producers in Bulgaria. Minister Taneva greeted them on their holiday and wished them to be innovative and use all possible instruments to present themselves on the foreign markets.

The Oenologists' Union reported a 40 per cent growth of wine production year-on-year after the grape harvesting in the autumn of 2015, the Union's Chairman Stanimir Stoyanov told a BTA reporter. The warm and sunny autumn was favourable for the ripening of the white varieties and white and rose wines of the 2015 harvest are already available on the market.

Stoyanov said that wine producers report an increasingly higher number of sales on the markets in Western Europe, USA, Canada and China, while experiencing difficulties with the sales in Russia.

Stoyanov recalled that one of the tasks of his organization is to promote growing of local varieties. Of the typical Bulgarian varieties, the most frequently grown are Mavrud, Rubin and the Traditional Melnik Vine. Areas under Gumza and Kailuka Misket are being restored in Northern Bulgaria, said he.

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On February 14 Bulgaria marks Vine Grower's Day, designated in 1962 on Old Style Feast Day of vine-growers' patron saint, St Tryphon Zarezan (literally, "St Tryphon Trimmer"). Farmers go to vineyards early in morning, prune vines (each man cutting three sticks from three main stems), and sprinkle them with wine to ensure plentiful harvest.