THIS YEAR YBC’S GRAPE PURCHASE EXCEED 2005 INDEX BY 5 THOUSAND TONS

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN. The purchase season will start at
the Armavir branch of the Yerevan Brandy Company (YBC) on September
11. The plant’s director Philippe Tibaut stated at the September 8
press conference that starting September 15, grapes will be purchased
at the Aygavan branch, and starting September 21- at the comany’s
Berd branch. According to him, grapes will be purchased for 130 drams
(about 0.32 USD) a kilogram at the Armavir and Aygavab branches,
and for4 123 drams – in Berd. Those farms, which have cooperated
with the YBC based on long-term agreements and will sell by 50% more
grapes than last year, will get an extra payment of 15 drams per a
kiologram in Armavir and Aygavan, and extra 12 drams per a kiologram
in Berd. It was noted that this year the company invested 1 million
euros in its branches, thanks to which the capacities of raw material
containers were increased by 3.3 thousand hecaliters and new equipment
was installed in the Aygavan and Armavir branches. These investments
will allow the YBC to purchase about 30 thousand tons of grapes from
5.5 thousand farms this year against 25 thousand tons in 2005.

The plant, which was bought by the company Pernod Ricard in 1998,
purchased 15 thousand tons of grapes from 3.5 thousand farms for 80
drams a kilo in 2002, and 15 thousand tons from over 4,000 farms in
2005. During the press conference, the subject of the allegations
made by Aram Sargsian, leader of the Democratic Party of Armenia,
concerning the YBC management was addressed as well. Zara Nazarian,
head of the comapny’s PR and Marketing Unit, noted that A.

Sargsina’s accusations that over 6-7 years, the plant has not operated
at the required capacity are not true. It was noted that this year it
is envisaged to produce the same amount of brandy as last year – 3.5
mln decaliters, 2.5 decaliters of which will be sold in Russia. In the
words of Z. Nazarian, Rospotrebnadzor (Moscow’s Consumer Market Control
Department) has lifted the ban imposed on the operation of the comapny
Pernod Ricard Rus – the distributor of the YBC’s production in Russia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress