This year's production of wine in Greece is expected to drop by 30% due to downy mildew, the head of the Greek Winemakers' Association Yiannis Voyatzis, said on Tuesday.
Voyatzis met with visiting Agricultural Production and Foods Minister Lefteris Avgenakis, who is on a four-day tour of Central Macedonia with a delegation. The meeting included the Association of Wine Producers of Northern Greece as well.
The minister said the Greek wine is one of the most important ambassadors of Greek production.
Greek wine production includes many family enterprises that have contributed to wine tourism and local economies. Currently, there are nearly 1,400 wineries and a total of 60,000 hectares (600,000 stremmas) being cultivated, which are focused on quality rather than intensive cultivation, Voyatzis said.
There are nearly 160,000 families tending vineyards, while the most significant advantage of Greek wine is the indigenous variations, he noted.
READ MORE: Greece is one of the most expensive countries for alcoholic beverages.
