Table_Grape_Technical_Assistance1.pdf

AUGUST 2011

This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by Tetra Tech ARD.

KOSOVO NEW

OPPORTUNITIES FOR

AGRICULTURE PROGRAM

TABLE GRAPE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

TABLE GRAPES

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Prepared for the United States Agency for International Development, USAID Contract

Number EDH-I-00-05-00006-00, TO AID-165-TO-11-00001, Kosovo New Opportunities for Agriculture Program, under the Rural and Agricultural Incomes with a Sustainable

Environment (RAISE Plus) Indefinite Quantity Contract (IQC).

Implemented by:

Tetra Tech ARD

159 Bank St., Suite 300

Burlington, VT 05401

DISCLAIMER

This report was prepared by the New Opportunities for Agriculture project team of Tetra

Tech ARD based on a Final Report prepared by Short Term Technical Advisor, Mr.

Shachar Karniel. The authors’ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United

States Government.

CONTENTS

BACKGROUND ……………………………………………………………….….… 1

PURPOSE OF ASSIGNMENT…………………………………………………..… 1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY………………………………………………………

FIELD ACTIVITIES TO ACHIEVE PURPOSES ………………………………… 3

TASK FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS …………………………...…….. 5

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE ACTIVITY.……15

ANNEXES……………………………………………………………………………. 18

STTA Report – Shachar Karniel, August 2011 Page 1

BACKGROUND

USAID supports economic growth in Kosovo through programs that strengthen and improve competitiveness of Kosovo agribusinesses, improve the business environment, and encourage local economic development. Accordingly, USAID/Kosovo has awarded

Tetra Tech ARD the task order for the New Opportunities in Agriculture in Kosovo

Program.

The goal of the program is to increase economic growth in Kosovo through expanded, environmentally sustainable production and sales of value-added agricultural products by enabling producers and processors to compete regionally and globally. The program has the following components:

1. Products and farmers linked with markets:

2. Agriculture products diversified and increased;

3. Food quality and safety improved;

4. Increased affordable and accessible credits;

5. Improved coordination with the agriculture sector.

One of the traditional crops recommended to focus on in Kosovo is table grapes. Kosovo has many quality grape vineyards, but a majority of the vineyards have grown table grapes by utilizing wine vineyard cultivation techniques. Accordingly, the Program has sought technical assistance to promote and train growers on modern technologies for the production of table grapes in Kosovo.

PURPOSE OF ASSIGNMENT

The purpose of this assignment was to provide the Program with a road map for next steps in the development of Table Grapes production and post-harvest needs in Kosovo.

The objectives were to:

1. Assess table grape production in Kosovo in terms of its scale, potential and necessary actions to support its development;

2. Rank the table grape varieties appropriate for production in Kosovo it terms of each variety’s ability to compete in export markets, generate sales and create jobs.

3. Indicate which table grape varieties the Program should invest in to maximize impact in terms of enhanced competitiveness in export EU markets regional export markets and local markets, potential sales in the medium term and potential jobs created;

4. Assess needs relative to post-harvest handling, storage and packaging of the recommended table grape varieties;

5. Provide recommendations for establishing/improving table grape production and post-harvest handling, storage and packaging of this crop.

STTA Report – Shachar Karniel, August 2011 Page 2

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The assignment aimed to assess the table grape business in Kosovo, to understand its limitations and its potential. One such limitation and potential is the amount of table grapes that Kosovo imports. Table grapes from neighboring countries account for approximately 30% of Kosovo’s table grape consumption. In order to substitute these imports, domestic production and quality of the table grapes would need to be increased.

This report focuses on how growers can increase the table grape harvest per hectare, improve the quality of the domestic crop, and eventually use new varieties to supply

Kosovo and potential external markets with those new varieties, from August to

December each year.

The most important change that needs to take place, at present, in order to ensure that table grape production is increased in Kosovo, is that growers must learn the differences between table grape production and wine grape production. At present, grape growers are producing table grapes by using wine grape production systems; this, it is observed, leads to a decrease in yield of table grapes.

This proposed system-wide change to grow table grapes by utilizing table grape production techniques instead of wine grape production techniques will result in higher yields of better quality grape bunches at a low cost to growers. Specifically, by using table grape trellising systems, and by pruning and thinning foliage and bunches during the various growth stages, table grape harvests in Kosovo are expected to increase. Along the similar lines, at present, the trellising system that is being used for table grapes is the system meant for wine grapes. There is a specific table grape trellising system that should be implemented and used by table grape growers. The details of this trellising system as well as table grape specific cultural practices are explained below in the report section, increasing harvest by changing best practices.

By changing cultural practices as well as by making modifications to the trellising system, it is proposed that by year 2 of the Program, growers can increase grape growth by 2 bunches per vine. Following that, by year 4 of the Program, growers can increase grape growth by 4 bunches per vine. If this domestic growth pattern is followed and replicated, table grape imports can be off-set completely during the regular table grape season.

Once table grape imports are off-set with the increased domestic table grape production, it would then be in Kosovo’s best interest to venture into the export markets, and try to tackle the off-season market with production of new varieties. At present, however, neither trying to tackle new markets, nor working with off-season new varieties are feasible; the table grape culture needs to be introduced and sustained amongst growers to fill a domestic demand and to substitute imports during the table grape season before export markets are decided upon.

This report also identifies the table grape varieties that the Program should invest in to increase the length of the table grape season from August to December. Post-harvest handling, storage and packaging needs are discussed in detail within the report, and recommendations are made in regards to phytosanitary standards as well as the creation of uniform packaging standards.

STTA Report – Shachar Karniel, August 2011 Page 3

Additionally, specifications in regards to field days, a study tour, and round table workshops are noted throughout the report. These activities would provide table grape growers the chance to be further educated on the cultural practices of table grape growing.

FIELD ACTIVITIES TO ACHIEVE PURPOSES

Meetings with the following key players within the table grape industry in Kosovo:

Vineyard Institute

It was discussed with institute officials that there are about 3064 grape ha. planted with out of which approximately 600 ha are specifically focused on table grapes. The average yield varies from 9 – 12 tons/hectare. During the meeting, it was discussed that there is room for improvement of quality and quantity of table grapes, specifically focusing on pruning, support system, plant protection, introduction of new varieties and marketing technologies.

Ministry of Agriculture

The minister was met with and during the presentation on the table grape industry

(current practices and future of the industry), he showed interest and is willing to be involved in the 1 st Field Day, which possibly will be in December. Within the

Ministry are individuals who, it was observed, are industrious and who want to learn and improve and be part of the creation. They want to support the cause.

City Mayors

Met with one of the mayors, in Suhareka, who is a farmer by nature. The Suhareka

Municipality has received 1.6 million Euro grants donated by Austrian ADA to support agriculture. The criteria for selection and application forms have been established. The farmers will apply for grants to the Municipality. The readiness to co-finance projects on table grapes through the grant fund was readily accepted by the mayor.

USAID’s New Opportunities for Agriculture Program Team

Martin Wood, COP; Mr. Fatmir Selimi, DCOP; Michael Kimes, Chief Technical

Officer; and Mr. Maxhun, Fruit Production Specialist.

Muharrem Jupa

Mr. Jupa is a fruit advisor and consultant and was interviewed to learn about the possibilities of the local advisors in the future steps for the rehabilitation of the table grape industry. Mr. Jupa stressed the importance of involving local advisors from the start of any table grape program to ensure that they can distribute knowledge to local growers.

Various companies were visited:

Muja Company is one such company that was visited. During this visit, the company stated they would be ready to play the role of future supplier with required inputs, which are necessary for changing actual technologies.

STTA Report – Shachar Karniel, August 2011 Page 4

Stone Castle Company was visited. The company has privatized 2200 hectares of former SOW land; 600 hectares are vineyards, 100 hectares are planted with table grapes of standard varieties. The company currently has variety test plots, and the newest vineyards were planted in 1989.

Haxhijaha company’s owner Mr. Rzhidi Haxhijaha was met. The proper atomizer use within the vineyard was explained to him. To reach the maximum level of spray, it was discussed that the existing atomizers must be adjusted. Due to these discussions, Mr. Haxhijaha will travel to Slovenia to meet with Slovenian manufacturers in order to discuss possible adjustments of the atomizers.

Various growers were visited:

The vine growers association, Vreshtari, was visited. There are about 1300 grower members within the association that own 1000 hectares of vineyards, out of which

120 hectares are currently for table grape production. Possible improvements of vineyard management were practically demonstrated to growers.

Habib Elshani, table grape grower was visited. He is a MAFRD beneficiary and is planting table grapes and at present has 2.2 hectares planted with planting material imported from various areas – Italy, Slovenia and France. The grower is ready to accept new technologies and wants to increase his vineyard by an additional 4 hectares.

STTA Report – Shachar Karniel, August 2011 Page 5

TASK FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The following tasks were specified in the Scope of Work for the assignment:

Task 1: Organize and conduct initial planning meeting with the Program and establish collaboration with key stakeholders

Task 2: Review past actions in the table grape industry in Kosovo

Task 3: Characterize within a production assessment report, and in as much detail as is practical, table grapes production in Kosovo.

3a: Production (volume, table grape varieties, pricing farm gate, structure, trends, prioritized opportunities)

3b: Markets, market channels and key actors, characterization of demand

3c: Prioritized development needs for the sector and principal barriers to development

3d: Role of women and opportunities for youth and minorities in table grape development

Task 4: Complete a detailed report on post-harvest handling, storage and packaging (and if there is call for it, processing);

Task 5: Determine next steps needed to pick, pack, haul and cool table grapes in order to penetrate export markets;

Task 6: Summaries of next steps activities for implementation with budget estimates;

Task 1, 2, 3:

Increasing harvest by improving best practices

There are numerous areas that can be improved upon within the current production practices of table grapes. The main two that will be discussed are the trellising systems as well as cultural practices such as pruning and thinning techniques. This section will discuss current table grape growing practices and will highlight new techniques to be introduced in order to increase the quality and quantity of production. This section will also focus on why intensive drip irrigation is not a necessary focus of the Program at this time. In this section, it is shown that by simply assisting growers to use a trellising system, and by improving the cultural practices and production techniques meant specifically for table grapes, that yields and quality of table grapes will increase in

Kosovo.

A. Trellising System

At present, the trellising system being used for table grape production is one that is specific for wine grapes and is not appropriate for table grapes. Additionally, there are no cultural practices in place for the grape bunches to improve yields and quality. Without an appropriate table grape-specific trellising system and without any cultural practices being used by table grape growers, grape bunches are often found crowded and tangled into each other and usually leaning on the trunk of the vine. Furthermore, due to the high leaf density caused by a lack of table grape specific production techniques, the spraying applications used on the grapes cannot reach the bunches leaving the treatment

STTA Report – Shachar Karniel, August 2011 Page 6 ineffective, and leaving the bunches more prone to fungal diseases. At present, the trellising system that is being used by table grape growers does not allow for the area under the leaves to have enough air circulation and due to this, the grape bunches becomes damp, adding to the problem. Unfortunately this can cause mildew and phomopsis on the grapes, which are treatable conditions but are at an additional expense.

By using the current wine system of trellising, the table grape vines grow upwards, and not outwards, making it easier for grape bunches to be tangled. With the new trellising system being proposed, the vines would be able to grow horizontally, using additional space to spread out, ensuring that each grape bunch receives better sun and air penetration than they would receive in their current trellising system used. This new system of trellising that is being proposed for table grape growers in Kosovo is called a “modified

T”. This system would build 3 or 4 brackets 30cm each onto each concrete post.

Although not the most ideal trellis system, it is specific to Kosovo where 30cm is the longest that the brackets can be, when taking into consideration that current vineyard tractors would need to pass through the rows. If the brackets stay at or under 30cm in length, local tractors would not have to be changed and no additional agricultural equipment will need to be purchased. The concrete posts are currently in use and available in Kosovo. The “T” brackets built onto one post would each have wires that would connect to the “T” brackets built on the next post. These wires that would connect the “T” brackets would allow the vine canes to grow horizontally to support and enable the vines to grow outwards instead of directly straight up, leaving the bunches free to have proper ventilation and obtain enough air circulation and sun penetration for mitigation of diseases. Additionally, this “modified T” system of trellising would lead to better photosynthesis, leading to more yields and better quality grapes. (Again, refer to

Annex I to see the diagram of the proposed trellising system for table grape growth.)

The western trellising systems are costly and due to the local vineyard conditions, and the available machinery in Kosovo, the western trellising system is not relevant for Kosovo for existing vineyards. In order to suit local, current machinery, and to help Kosovo table grape growers save costs, only a modification of the trellising system is needed. This

“modified T” system of trellising for table grape production is what is being proposed.

B. Pruning and Thinning – Cultural Practices

There are not any table grape pruning or thinning practices being used in Kosovo for table grapes at present. Kosovar growers are not aware, nor are they educated, on the importance of these techniques. The changes that need to arise amongst table grape growers should include pruning of shoots, as well as grape and foliage thinning in order to better suit table grape production. These cultural practices are necessary to implement, as they will assist the grower to move away from a wine grape growing production system and ensure high yields without incurring costly expenses. These new practices and vineyard management techniques will, however, take time and be challenging to implement.

Pruning is one aspect of ensuring that the amount of vine shoots are increased per vine leading to more grape bunches. This production technique that leads to an increase of shoots can increase the amount of grapes grown. By having more shoots, there will be more flowering. And due to an increase in flowering, there will certainly be an increase in fruit set. Pruning is one method that can be considered an insurance policy against frosts and can help maintain and retain additional bunch survival.

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There are three types of thinning cultural practices that table grape growers should use:

bunch thinning, leaf or foliage thinning and berry cluster thinning. Each practice is described in detail below:

Bunch thinning is needed to take off excess bunches off of the vines once the fruit is set.

It is better to select the best fruit bunches on the vine rather than not be able to choose any at all. Growers have the ability to decide which bunches to thin out for best quality and yield. In the event that one bunch has been affected by frost, the thinning method would allow for the farmer to take those bunches affected by frost off of the vines in order to save some of the crop.

Foliage thinning is an important aspect of table grape production. Top foliage on the south side of the field should grow in length for it to overhang and shade the grapes to ensure against sun-burning. However, it will be necessary for the foliage on the north side to be thinned because the sun is less intense on the north side of the trellis, which will increase air circulation and sunlight. Additional foliage can then grow on the south side providing further coverage from the strong sun rays coming from that direction.

Berry thinning can be defined as taking off the small berries, decayed berries and shriveled berries hanging on grape bunches, also called “shaping the bunch”, or “shaping for bunch quality”. Once small berries are removed from the bunch, each grape left on the bunch can then utilize the resources spared on the vine to increase in size.

The current yield and quality of the grape bunches is only 60% of what it can be. By making the aforementioned changes in table grape practices, the quantity and quality of grape bunches per harvest should rise by at least an additional 30% over two growing seasons.

C. Drip Irrigation

The common belief that drip irrigation is the solution to increased production in Kosovo is erroneous. This incorrect assumption is explained by focusing on the two types of drip irrigation systems, fertigation and assistant drip irrigation, and why they are unnecessary for Kosovo at this time:

Intensive Drip Irrigation - In this system, the grower gets the vine to completely depend on the water and fertilizer supplied by the system. This one-unit system is called “fertigation”. This professional system is expensive not only in terms of its initial cost but also in terms of its operational costs. It requires constant control by the grower of the variant fertilizer and water supply amounts according to the need of the vines during the different cultivation times.

Even though this system is useful, it is suitable specifically for large areas with professional irrigation management. It is not suitable for established small farms that have been grown without any irrigation at all but have well-developed deep roots systems like the ones here in Kosovo. Kosovo soil and ground is well adapted to retaining wetness, and the vines have adapted to a natural way of finding water for uptake. In essence, the table grape plants have grown deep root systems. If the intensive drip irrigation system was to be implemented, these naturally deep root systems would naturally convert into shallow root systems, becoming dependent upon

STTA Report – Shachar Karniel, August 2011 Page 8 the drip system, losing their deep root systems. This is why it is stated that Kosovo does not have a need for the intensive drip irrigation system.

It is to be noted, however, that this system can be used by new vineyards with new varieties interested in increasing their yield quickly.

Assistant Drip Irrigation - With this system, the assistant drip irrigation is operated only a few times a year. It is also referred to as supplemental drip irrigation. This type of irrigation is used during the softening period, or also known as the sizing period of the grape maturation stage. This is the period of growth in which the berries fill with water and by adding water through the drip system, the berry size can increase quickly. The general knowledge of this type of an irrigation system is that by implementing its use, each berry can grow by one gram, having the total production per hectare increase up by four tons. It is possible to have each berry grow by two grams, making the production increase by 8 tons per hectare.

This system is useful however the current situation with table grapes in Kosovo is such that the Program should not invest in this type of technology at this time. The most important investment that the Program can provide at the moment is to assist the growers in increasing their yields by focusing on implementing table grape cultural practices as well as a table grape trellising system.

New planting

The renewal planting rate of vines within the table grape sector worldwide averages widely between 2.5% to 10% of new vines per year. Recently, Kosovo’s standard of living has increased, which has led to the expectation that the table grape consumer’s demand will rise as well. In order to meet this demand, it is necessary to grow late varieties which can be kept in cold storage and supplied to the consumer throughout the month of August and through until December. This new demand would require the planting of no less than 10% of new vines per year in Kosovo. Any additional planting will lessen the fall import. (Refer to Annex III for new varieties of table grapes suggested).

Task 3b: Markets, market channels and key actors, characterization of demand

At present, the domestic table grape production should be increased for the domestic market by growing table grapes on a table grape-specific trellis system, and by using table grape cultural practices. Once these practices are in place, the domestic production can increase enough to off-set the table grape imports during the table grape season.

Moreover, only once this takes place can Kosovo then entertain the thought of targeting additional markets and move table grapes to export markets.

However, with that said, the new varieties of grapes that have been proposed in this report are late varieties; both of the varieties are focused on the export market. Thus, the new varieties can be viewed as a preparatory phase to focus on exports within the next five or so years, but only after domestic production has off-set the table grape imports within

Kosovo during the table grape season.

Please refer to key field activities to achieve purposes section to obtain a list of the key stakeholders – institutions, associations as well as individual growers – who will be

STTA Report – Shachar Karniel, August 2011 Page 9 pivotal in ensuring that the table grape industry in Kosovo expands, as they each have incentive to cooperate and further the value chain.

Task 3c: Prioritized development needs for the sector and principal barriers to development

Trellising and Cultural Practices

The methods mentioned above take into consideration the road blocks that table grape growers face – they are producing their table grapes within a wine grape production system, which leads to a decrease in table grape yields as well as grape quality. Once growers start implementing the above mentioned recommendations, the quality and quantity of yields will increase, enough to substitute the 30% of the imported grapes during season, with Kosovo table grape production.

Professional Training – round table, field days, study tour

There is no current professional training being conducted at this time for table grape growers, but this training is necessary to expand the industry and create a table grape culture.

In order to assist the growers in understanding the required changes in best practices and to better understand the differences in table grape growing as opposed to wine grape growing, it is recommended that the Program hold a round table meeting for table grape growers designated for those specific technical aspects, as discussed above.

Additionally, field days, focusing on specific cultural practices would assist the growers to understand each cultural practice – pruning, leaf thinning, bunch thinning. Field days could also be focused on spraying practices, harvest practices and post-harvest practices.

Furthermore, a study tour might be arranged for Kosovo table grape growers in Italy, to visit not only vineyards but also testing laboratories as well.

Task 3d: Role of women and opportunities for youth and minorities in table grape development

Internship potential: Training of trainers

In addition to a lack of privatized training, the government is having difficulty in financing the training or internships for a new generation of table grape field service providers, or more specifically Kosovo youth.

Therefore, it is recommended that the industry become involved in working with one of the larger agrochemical insecticide/fungicide spray companies to assist in the funding of training some of the local instructors. The funding would be used to send these new instructors to travel the world to different table grape growing areas. They would be able to get hands on, in-depth training on cultural practices such as pruning and thinning, and would also obtain training in harvest and post-harvest handling and procedures.

STTA Report – Shachar Karniel, August 2011 Page 10

It is proposed that after a year of training, the instructors would be come back to Kosovo and pass on the knowledge they gained to train a new generation of trainers. In order for the agrochemical company that initially invested in this process to be returned the investment, the trainer would charge a service fee to the growers they work with, for each visit to the farm. The trainers would also be required to instruct the growers on the proper usage of the investing company’s insecticide/fungicide spray. By doing this, the investing company will eventually earn back their initial investment for the training of the inspectors.

Need more manpower in the vineyards

The growing techniques that are being suggested in this report focus on the necessary culture practices and table grape trellising systems. Today, the table grape growers in

Kosovo do not employ enough field hands, and do not have enough workers for the vineyards to increase the quantity produced. In order to implement these improvements discussed in this report, and for better production and larger harvests, it will be beneficial for the growers to employ additional workers. Within every stage of improving the cultural practices of table grape production, additional labor will need to be added. This additional labor can very well be women, and/or minorities.

It will be important for growers to calculate individual gross margins at every step of table grape growing to have a better understanding of whether or not they will need to use additional labor, and how much as well.

Task 4: Complete a detailed report on post-harvest handling, storage and packaging

(and if there is call for it, processing)

Cold storage facilities and warehouses

Please refer to Task 5: pick, pack, haul, and cool grapes section below.

Packaging Materials and Standards

In present day Kosovo, the standards for packaging table grapes and the materials to package the fruit are very basic. The harvesting and packaging are at the lowest level.

For example:

The grape bunches are not cleaned during harvest. The damaged or under-developed grapes are not being removed.

During packaging there is no separating material (such as packaging paper) between the wooden box and the fruit itself.

These low standards cannot continue for much longer. Once table grape growers are able to produce grapes at the level of quality that supermarkets desire, higher standards will be dictated to the growers. Kosovo is not at this stage yet; it was observed that the table grape growers have not reached the level of quality necessary for the domestic markets yet. However, when they do reach that level of quality, it is necessary that the key steps are in place in order to ensure that the grower is protected with certain standards to follow.

In order to mitigate a situation in which the supermarkets dictate the standards of grape quality necessary, it is in the Agricultural Ministry’s best interest to be prepared and begin to adopt standards such as US N o .1 (Please refer to Annex II for the USDA table

STTA Report – Shachar Karniel, August 2011 Page 11 grape standards). This will enable the Agricultural Ministry to decide the guidelines for the growers as opposed to the supermarkets, which will ensure a one-standard guideline for all growers to prescribe to and move towards as they market to various supermarkets.

With the development of marketing the produce to supermarket chains, the current wooden boxes being used to transport the table grapes will no longer be suitable. New boxes may be demanded by the supermarkets. It would be a good idea to prepare for this situation due to the fact that the small farmer will have to deal with the labor and cost of upgrading the boxes to suit the supermarket’s demand. By constantly adjusting the packaging to fulfill the supermarket’s demand, the grower’s income will be hard hit.

Adjusting packaging requirements during post harvest time will lower the grower’s income per hectare.

Unfortunately, the supermarkets will not reimburse the grower for the additional cost incurred during packaging. In this situation, the only way that the grower has the ability to mitigate the loss of income due to supermarket packaging standards would be to expand their vineyard. This is not always a feasible or even reasonable method.

It is recommended that the grower be protected and supported with standard packaging requirements suitable for both supermarkets as well as growers before supermarket demands prevail and dictate to the grower what is needed. Unfortunately this situation exists all over the world, even in the United States: The demands of the supermarkets are too high, and are too expensive, and they have the ability to slow labor down, and thereby, slow down production. This can cause an ongoing battle between the grower and supermarkets, which is why it is important to finalize a packaging standard for Kosovo that will be suitable before the supermarkets even have the ability to demand an-ever changing series of higher standards that growers will find increasingly difficult to fulfill.

Phytosanitary Requirements

The phytosanitary situation in Kosovo needs to be greatly improved for the table grape industry to expand. This report focuses specifically on phytosanitary situation for plants, and the phytosanitary situation for fruits.

Plants - There are no current standards for plants in Kosovo. Local or Serbian nurseries are propagating low standard plants which can cause great damage to the grower. Imported plants also can be a problem as the grower is at the mercy of the exporter and the exporter’s standards, which may be low. It is recommended that some plants be uprooted and destroyed, and that an Italian lab - Vitroplant Italia, be contacted. They are known worldwide and have vast experience in phytosanitary requirements. They are also very experienced in establishing nurseries outside of

Italy, which may be a step for Kosovo to move forward with creating standard phytosanitary standards for their growers, by starting with their nurseries.

Fruits - Fruits imported into Kosovo are a source for diseases and insects which may not be indigenous to Kosovo. Diseases are noticeable at present-day throughout the agricultural areas of the country, although they are very basic at this point. The importers must demand that the fruit be treated before shipment. Suitable documents must be delivered by the exporter to the importer in order to guarantee that the fruit was in fact treated. A highly infectious disease or extremely harmful insect is an

STTA Report – Shachar Karniel, August 2011 Page 12 expensive and dangerous risk for Kosovo. The cost to rectify damage from either is very expensive, costing millions to even billions of dollars in repair damages.

Task 5: Determine next steps needed to pick, pack, haul and cool table grapes in order to penetrate export markets

Before Kosovo can look to penetrate export markets, it is imperative that Kosovo tackle its own domestic production challenges within the table grape industry first. Once

Kosovo table grape growers are able to substitute their own domestically produced grapes for grapes that are being imported from neighboring countries during the table grape season, growers can then look at export markets for sales. At present, the domestic market is the most crucial market to tackle.

Supply grapes for the late season

In order to avoid the need to import grapes and promote the domestic production of table grapes, Kosovo must do the following:

Plant late varieties.

It will be necessary for Kosovo table grape growers to grow new varieties. The new varieties suggested will ripen during Sept and Oct in order to extend the grape season and in order to reduce the pressure that growers face in the summer months. (Refer to

Annex III for the list of new varieties suggested.) With appropriate infrastructure as outlined below – cooling containers, SO2 gas, and cold storage units, the shelf life of the new varieties will increase post-harvest.

Regulate the marketing during the peak season.

It is necessary to put in place a regulation which will help avoid a seasonality situation where an increase of 30% of production of 600 hectares during the summer months will lower the prices. Growers need to be able to put a part of their production in cold storage for a short period of time. When the harvest ends, they will then release the cold storage fruits to the market.

Design gas-tight cooling containers.

These on-farm cooling containers would assist Kosovo table grape growers by having a container by which a grower could immediately place the produce in before being transferred to either the SO2 warehouse gas chambers or the cold storage units.

Build regional modern, economical, and professional cold storage units.

Due to the fact that most of the growers are too small to finance their own cold storage units, it would be financially more efficient to have regional units. It is necessary to take into consideration the problem of power supply to the cold storage and packing warehouses and prepare proper infrastructures in advance. The cold storage need to be ready within two and a half years. They will need to be of Western

Europe quality. Regarding the cooling of the unit, its cost efficiency is dependent on how well the unit is sealed and structured.

The cold storage facilities that will be necessary for the new varieties of table grapes should be forced air cooling or rapid cooling systems. These systems would reduce

STTA Report – Shachar Karniel, August 2011 Page 13 the temperature of the grapes coming from the field, stop respiration and extend shelf life.

An important point to make in regards to cold storage units is that the new varieties of grapes to be introduced would last in these systems, either air cooling or rapid cooling systems, for a minimum of 2 months, to a maximum of 3 months. Thus, the latest that those late variety grapes could be sold would be January. After January, the Southern

Hemisphere grapes would then take on the market, as it becomes too cold in all of the

Balkans at that time to grow grapes. If Kosovo imports any grapes post January, the grapes would be produced from other regions within the Southern Hemisphere.

Build packaging warehouses next to every cold storage unit.

The packing in the wood boxes without any proper packing materials shortens the fruits life in cold storage. In order to store fruit properly, it is important to purchase proper packaging material such as liners, and to use sulfur dioxide, SO2. This gas is an important one for grapes in the sense that it decreases the mold and mildew spore counts on the fruit. If the grapes are not fumigated with SO2 during post-harvest handling, the spores will spread and cause botrytis, also known as fruit rot. The SO2 helps give grapes a longer shelf life.

An individual grower will not be able to pack this way, with the much needed SO2 gas. Therefore it is recommended that a packing warehouse which will be capable to receive small quantities of grapes from different growers be used. They will sort them and pack the grapes based on quality. They will store them until the release from cold storage. The knowledge on how to execute this concept is available worldwide and works well in many places worldwide.

Task 6: Summaries of next steps activities for implementation with budget estimates

Kosovo grape growers can modify many actions in order for quality and quantity of production to be increased. The quality and quantity of production can increase if growers become aware that the over-arching wine grape system of growing table grapes is constricting grape growth and that a table grape growing system is needed.

As this assignment was a short one, and due to the fact that current costs of inputs were unavailable during the assignment, a budget was not created for the following recommendations.

A. New system of trellising

The trellising system that was observed is a wine-grape trellising system, not to be used for table grape growth. The cost for adjusting the trellising system will be minimal, as the new table grape system would simply require 3 additional “T” brackets and additional wire on existing concrete posts being used.

B. Cultural Practices

Additionally, if the pruning and thinning practices discussed in this report are made apparent to growers, and implemented, the quality and quantity of table grapes will

STTA Report – Shachar Karniel, August 2011 Page 14 improve. The costs of promoting these cultural practices rely on the cost of the field days

(see below).

C. Field Days/RoundTable/Study Tour/Internships

These new practices that have been discussed will require the use of field days, in order for the growers to “see and believe” that the techniques are useful and worthy of implementing.

The most effective way to bring the knowledge and technology in the shortest period of time to the largest amount of growers is by hosting field days and round table discussions.

During these field days, the grower will be educated with new information which he can implement on his own farms. Considering that at the moment there is no guidance at all but there is a desire to change and to pass knowledge on to the wide spread growers, field days are necessary.

There are a variety of topics that can be considered for field days: pruning (during winter time), thinning methods (May or June months), harvesting and post-harvest handling as well as potentially spraying.

Additionally, it will be useful for table grape growers here in Kosovo to take a study tour to Italy to view their laboratory, trellising systems and cultural practices being utilized on their vineyards.

The internship mentioned above in section 3d focuses on the creation of a training of a trainer program, by which a private input supply and fertilizer company creates a new cadre of trainers by training youth. These newly trained youth would then train additional

“trainers” to assist growers on their fields, thereby creating a privatized, incentivized extension service system.

D. New varieties

A larger challenge for growers will be to start growing the varieties that are suggested, in order to tap into later markets, so that domestic production can easily out-compete table grape imports.

E. Regional cold storage units

There is a great demand at present, and there will be an even greater demand after the new varieties are introduced to store the table grapes until they should be sold, in order to tap into the later markets and in order to expand table grape production to late October and even beyond into December. Due to the large financial costs of building cold storage units per farmer, it is recommended that regional cold storage units are built instead.

F. Collection and packaging warehouses

With the advent of cold storage units in certain regions, it is acknowledged that warehouses will be needed in order to assist the growers with sorting and packaging.

These elements of post-harvest handling will be difficult for the growers to act upon on their own due to the costs that they would incur. In order to mitigate the growers from having to take packaging and sorting on their own, it is recommended that warehouses be built and trained in the standards of packaging and sorting.

G. Phytosanitary standards

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It is recommended that the Ministry of Agriculture create standard phytosanitary requirements for the table grape growers to follow, so as to be compliant in order for them to potentially export once domestic production has substituted the imports of table grapes.

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CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

FOR FUTURE ACTIVITY

In conclusion, Kosovo table grapes have great potential to substitute for imports with domestic table grapes within the short-term. The domestic production has the potential to significantly increase within the next few years. The recommendations made in this report, in order to ensure that table grape production will increase, can be consolidated into three different realms: planting and harvesting; post-harvest handling and packaging;

introduction of new varieties.

Once the planting and harvesting realm is focused on by using the various cultural practices needed and recommended within this report, and the table grape trellising system is set and used by growers, domestic production would substitute for imports of table grapes during the season. With the cultural practices in place, and with a table grape culture introduced and expanded upon in Kosovo, the planting and harvesting components of the table grape value chain would be greatly improved upon. Once a strong culture of growing table grapes is expanded, and production increases, the table grape industry in Kosovo would then be free to focus on additional markets by looking into new varieties for the off-season domestic market and into eventually looking into exports by commercially producing the new varieties.

At present, the country lacks late harvesting varieties, which are crucial in order to substitute imports from August until December. The two late varieties of grapes that are suggested are: red globe (seeded) and crimson seedless. It is also recommended that new vines be planted – 10% of new vines per year in order to meet the demand of growing late varieties. The world’s average for renewal planting runs between 2.5% to 10% vines per year. These late varieties can be kept in cold storage and supplied to the consumer, filling demand during the later months of the year.

In the immediate term, it is best that Kosovo table grape growers adjust their trellising practices to one of table grape growing. Along with this, proper table grape training for the growers is also necessary. It is important that growers understand the difference in growing table grapes as opposed to growing wine grapes in regards to certain cultural practices during the various growing stages. It is also recommended that growers become educated on these table grape-specific practices through field days, round table discussions as well as study tours and a potential internship program.

As it stands today, the standards for harvesting and packing table grapes for sale are low.

And as Kosovo moves to higher standards due to consumer demand and retail demand, wooden boxes will no longer be suitable, and packaging insulation between the box and the fruit will need to exist. It will be necessary for the Ministry of Agriculture to create a complete set of post-harvest standards which include packaging that the growers can be supported upon implementation. This will mitigate stringent demands placed upon the growers by supermarkets and will leave the system regulated by the Ministry of

Agriculture instead of the supermarkets.

By incorporating planting modifications such as varietal changes, trellising changes, and by increasing the use of cultural practices, the quantity of grapes will increase, as will the

STTA Report – Shachar Karniel, August 2011 Page 17 quality of grapes. By utilizing the production techniques and modifications indicated and recommended in this report, by year 2 of the Program, it is estimated that growers will be able to increase their production by 2 bunches per vine from their current state.

Additionally, it is also estimated that if progress is maintained, by year 4 of the program, growers will be able to increase their production by 4 bunches per vine from the current state. This growth by year 4 can off-set domestic importation of the fruit.

Without an increase in domestic production that off-sets imports, Kosovo should not look to export markets for their table grapes. Once domestic imports are substituted with domestic production during the season, however, Kosovo can then focus on exporting their increased table grape produce to neighboring countries and elsewhere.

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ANNEXES

Annex I Proposed trellising system sketch

Annex II USDA Table Grape standards

Annex III List of suggested varieties and their qualities

Annex IV Photos of table grapes in Kosovo

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ANNEX I: Table Grape Trellis Sketch

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ANNEX II: USDA table grape standards

Taken from the United States Department of Agriculture

Agricultural Marketing Service

Fruit and Vegetable Programs

Fresh Products Branch

United States Standards for Grades of Table Grapes (European or Vinifera Type)

Effective March 29, 1999, (Reprinted - April 1999)1

United States Standards for Grades of Table Grapes (European or Vinifera Type) Grades

51.880 U.S. Extra Fancy Table.

51.881 U.S. Extra Fancy Export.

51.882 U.S. Fancy Table.

51.883 U.S. Fancy Export.

51.884 U.S. No. 1 Table.

51.885 U.S. No. 1 Institutional.

Tolerances

51.886 Tolerances.

Application of Tolerances

51.887 Application of tolerances.

Maturity Requirements

51.888 Maturity requirements.

Definitions

51.889 Well developed grapes.

51.890 One variety.

51.891 Uniform in appearance.

51.892 Color terms.

51.893 Firm.

51.894 Weak.

51.895 Shriveled at capstem.

51.896 Shattered.

51.897 Wet.

51.898 Decay.

51.899 Waterberry.

51.900 Sunburn.

51.901 Damage.

51.902 Fairly well filled.

51.903 Excessively tight.

51.904 Shot berries.

51.905 Dried berries.

51.906 Well developed and strong.

51.907 Diameter.

51.908 Serious damage.

51.909 Materially shriveled at capstem.

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51.910 Straggly.

51.911 Container.2

51.912 Export.

51.913 Clusters.

Metric Conversion Table

51.914 Metric conversion table.

Grades

§51.880 U.S. Extra Fancy Table.

"U.S. Extra Fancy Table'' consists of bunches of well developed grapes of one variety, except when designated as assorted varieties, which are uniform in appearance, well colored, and which meet the following requirements:

(a) Basic requirements for berries:

(1) Mature;

(2) Firm;

(3) Firmly attached to capstem;

(4) Not weak;

(5) Not shriveled at capstem;

(6) Not shattered;

(7) Not split or crushed;

(8) Not wet.

(b) Basic requirements for bunches:

(1) Fairly well filled;

(2) Not excessively tight for the variety.

(c) Basic requirements for stems:

(1) Well developed and strong;

(2) Not dry and brittle;

(3) At least yellowish-green in color except for Cardinal, Robin, Exotic, and Beauty

Seedless varieties.

(d) Berries free from:

(1) Decay;

(2) Waterberry;

(3) Sunburn;

(4) Almeria Spot.

(e) Stems free from:

(1) Mold;

(2) Decay.

(f) Berries not damaged by:

(1) Any other cause.

(g) Bunches not damaged by:

(1) Shot berries;

(2) Dried berries;

(3) Other defective berries;

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(4) Trimming away of defective berries;

(5) Any other cause.

(h) Stems not damaged by:

(1) Freezing;

(2) Any other cause.

(i) Size:

(1) For berries: Exclusive of shot berries and dried berries, not less than 90 percent, by count, of the berries on each bunch shall have the minimum diameters indicated for varieties as follows:

(i) Ribier, Cardinal, Robin, Exotic, Queen, Italia Muscat, and other similar varieties thirteen-sixteenths of an inch.

(ii) Other varieties eleven-sixteenths of an…