This year's grape harvest in Bulgaria is in very bad shape, reports the BTA wire service, quoting Radoslav Radev, chairperson of the Vine and wine national association.

The hailstorms and various diseases damaged the vineyards, destroying between 70 and 85% of the grape harvest in some areas.

“Compared to 2013, this year the wine varieties yielded 30-40% less,” Radev said. “The quality is also problematic.”

According to him, the main reason was the inclement weather – hailstorms, rains, floods, low temperatures and not enough sunshine.

“This is the general situation, though in some areas it is a little better than in others,” Radev said.