Farmers from Macedonia’s main wine growing region of Tikves are threatening to rip out their vineyards due to the record low prices. Grapes such as Smedervka, used to produce a popular white wine, are sold for 2 denars per kilogram, which is six to seven times below the production cost.

Here is my receipt, two denars per kilo and it says 4 denars for Covid-19. I don’t understand what it means and they couldn’t explain it to me, whether I get four denars more because of the epidemic or not, I don’t know. But it gets worse each year, said Donco Misev, a vineyard owner in Vatasa.

Most wholesale points across Tikves were closed today, both due to the storm and due to the lack of demand and the low prices. Police intervened several times on Friday, dispersing angry farmers and removing them from wholesale points of local wineries.