About 25% of vineyards in Ukraine's all wine-growing regions have the signs of thermal damage

About 25% of vineyards in Ukraine's all wine-growing regions have the signs of thermal damage, said director of the Association of Winegrowers and Winemakers of Ukraine (AWWU) Seriy Petrenko.

"In view of the recent frosts in Ukraine agronomists of vineyards really report about cases of vine freezing. Mykolayiv region was affected, and partially Odessa, Kherson and Zakarpattia regions (Transcarpathia), as well as the south-western Crimea," he added. At the same time, Petrenko said that the vine has an immense scope for self-preservation. "Very favorable summer and warm autumn in 2009 have allowed to accumulate enough sugar in the vine. And it should help the vine to survive in winter," assured the AWWU chief. Petrenko also said that this year's grape harvest will be worse than the previous year. "To what extent - additional studies of vines will show, as it is still impossible to say objectively and accurately," he noted. "Given that in 2009 we have witnessed a sharp increase in exports - in 3.5 times - to Russia, as well as there is the potential to further increase production in the domestic market while maintaining a favorable environment of state regulation," Petrenko emphasized. "Given that, for example, Moldova did not see such strong frosts, we assume a possible pressure from the importers, particularly of the Moldovan ones," Petrenko underscored.