Hail damages 1.5 million pounds [1.5 million kg] of rahovec wine

The hail and floods that have swept through the Rahovec municipality over the past two days have caused major damage to agricultural cultures.

The damage is great in all agricultural products, such as grape plantations, peppers, tomatoes, bostan, melons, which agricultural cultures are cultivated in the Rahovez municipality. “Company only Stone Castle” has been completely damaged by over 70 hectares of vineyards.

Ylber Bajraktari company manager “Stone Castle” has told of the huge damage done to the vineyards of this company, where, as he said, more than 1.5 million pounds [1.5 million kg] of grapes have been lost this year.

It's caused more than 70 hectares of total-torn vineyards, and 30 hectares, which have easier damage. In addition to the work he has done in carrying out these networks, the Stone Castle Company has invested over 200 thousand euros in maintenance alone, which is a huge damage, which is also seen, while we have already lost more than a million and 500 thousand pounds of grapes. It means 1.5 million pounds are damaged by this 64x1> flood, he said.

Bajraktari has appealed to the Communist Parliament, the Ministry of Agriculture and Government to help the company and all the injured farmers. He indicated that last year, too, there have been severe damage from the frosts that had occurred in the spring.

Bujku Beytullah Kelmendi from the village of Forte de Rahoveci has appealed to the Government of Kosovo to help the farmers of this municipality, as the damage is enormous, while showing that the damage is so great that farmers will be forced to buy their own farm products, because they will not be able to produce anything of their products.

“Can't remember this damage done by the hail. Even the village of Forte doesn't even have an old man who remembers this damage. Here it has included the village of Sopinica hailfall, Ballacerka, half of Berrnaek, all left nothing on the ground, whether it be grapes or pepper, Bostan”, he said.

Kelmendi asked the country's government to restore protection from hail, as it has been in the former Yugoslavia, where, as it never indicated, hail damage has been caused due to defence.

The “in the former Yugoslavia, taken is mentioned to me, but it has been the defence, it has been the missile system that protected them from the hail, and it has never touched the hail”, he said.

Other farmer Ahmet Kelmendi, also from the village of Forte, has shown that all agricultural products planted by it have been destroyed.

We have two acres planted, plus near a hectare and a little melon. This damage is irreplaceable, this damage doesn't improve... He sent us back now for two more years. Those lands I own are for rent, 2,000 euros for rent. Permission here that doesn't win anything, but I don't know where you're from. Make it your first rent”, he said. Kelmendi has also sought help from the government and has complained that no one has been visited so far, even though the damage has been too great.