YEREVAN. - In Armenia the demand on grapes exceeds the offer by agricultural farms, Yerevan Brandy Company ArArAt Brandies CEO Ara Grigoryan stated on Monday in the briefing with journalists. Photo coverage of the story is available here.

On Wednesday Yerevan Brandy Company ArArAt Brandies began grape harvesting season in Aygavan village. During the visit of journalists, about 14 trucks were waiting to commence  the preparation works. Grapes are purchased for AMD 140 per kg as opposed to AMD 130 in the previous year. According to Grigoryan, the branch is ready to harvest 700 tons of grapes per day.

This year grape harvesting started a week earlier than last year. According to A. Grigoryan it was due to weather conditions and the sugar percentage in the harvest of this year is higher than that of last year's. In the presence of journalists and Minister of Agriculture Sergo Karapetyan, the laboratory test found that the sugar percentage of the first truck is 20.0, while in previous year it was 18 (minimal threshold is 17).

Minister of Agriculture Sergo Karapetyan noted that other companies will begin grape harvesting on Sept. 17. It is expected that this year the average price of harvesting grapes will excel the average price of 2011.  According to the minister, in 2011, grapes were purchased for AMD 131.9 per kg, and this year the figure might possibly reach AMD 150, as in Vayots Dzor grape was purchased for AMD 250-260 per kg.