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Armenia's Grape Industry in Danger

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  • Armenia's Grape Industry in Danger

    Armenian Technology Group, Inc.
    1300 E. Shaw Ave. #131
    P. O. Box 5969
    Fresno CA 93710

    PRESS RELEASE
    Date: November 25, 2009

    Contact Person
    Varoujan Der Simonian, Executive Director, ATG
    Tel: 559-224-1000
    Fax: 559-224-1002
    www.atgusa.org
    Press Release

    Armenia's Grape Industry in Danger


    A recently published news article raised an alarming condition facing
    the Armenian grape industry is facing. On November 16, 2009 the
    chairman of the Union of the Armenian winemakers Avag Harutyunian,
    Ph.D. had warned that if proper actions are not taken now, during the
    next 5-6 year `Armenia would risk losing its vineyards' to a past
    called phylloxera.

    This pest will result in a dramatic decline in yields in the vineyards
    and cause enormous damage in vine industry in a very short period of
    time to the detrimental of Armenia.

    The spread of the phylloxera has infected thousand of acres of
    vineyards worldwide, causing significant economic damage to their
    industries. They include some of the world's most famous wine
    producing countries such as France, Italy, including California's Napa
    Valley.

    Dr. Harutyunian stated that some $600 million are required to fight
    the phylloxera infected vineyards in Armenia.

    The situation is not hopeless. The Armenian Technology Group,
    Inc. (ATG) a California based non-profit organization, had focused its
    humanitarian efforts on a long term sustainable agricultural economic
    development of Armenia. ATG had the foresight some 12 years ago to
    establish a phylloxera resistant grape nursery in Armenia with
    resistant rootstocks from California to graft this stock on old
    indigenous grape varieties saving from complete destruction.

    `The value of these resistant rootstocks varieties are recognized all
    around the world' said ATG Board member Nubar Tashjian, JD. `Our
    representative Zlademir Zakiyan in NK did a great job of building a
    strong foundation that could save the vine industry in Armenia.'

    Since the establishment of the ATG phylloxera resistant grape nursery,
    the number of acres planted with new vines in NK has increased from
    2,913 acres to 6,653 acres.

    In the past four years alone the nursery has generated over $500,000
    reported financial resources that were re-circulated in domestic
    economy. Additionally, numerous jobs have been created, and in one
    instance supporting the entire village of Kheramort, including
    hundreds of thousands for wages and salaries, not to mention many
    thousand of dollars for local and state taxes.

    `Grape growers in Armenia can take advantage of this wonderful
    opportunity to obtain resistance rootstock and the experience that the
    ATG Nursery has gained over the years.' commented ATG Executive
    Director Varoujan Der Simonian.

    The benefits of the resistant products of the grape nursery are
    available to all farmers, who should take advantage of this unique
    opportunity to plant resistant stocks.

    Grape growers can even take advantage of custom ordering in advance
    their request of any specific type and quantity of domestic grape
    varieties with grafted phylloxera resistant rootstocks from the ATG
    Nursery.

    Contact ATG at 559-224-1000 or via e-mail at [email protected] for
    all inquires.

    Varoujan Der Simonian, Executive Director
    Armenian Technology Group, Inc.
    1300 East Shaw Ave., Suite 131
    P.O.Box 5969
    Fresno CA 93755-5969 US
    1.559.224.1000 Fax 1.559.224.1002
    [email protected]
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