Montenegro’s company Plantaže has successfully completed this year’s wine grape harvest, achieving yields 30% higher than last year. Milena Peruničić, director of vineyard and fruit production, stated that in addition to higher yields, the grapes harvested are of excellent quality and health, providing a solid foundation for this year’s wines, according to RTCG.
“Careful planning, hiring more seasonal workers, and the dedicated efforts of our teams have led to this success, which demonstrates the stability and strength of our production,” Peruničić said. The harvest began on August 13 and proceeded within the standard timeframe, unlike last year, which was one of the earliest in the company’s history.
Peruničić emphasized that Ćemovsko polje is the largest single vineyard in Europe, making Plantaže’s harvest one of the largest vineyard operations on the continent. She noted that organizing the process is highly complex, involving numerous people, modern machinery, and challenging logistics, while also being dependent on weather and other uncontrollable factors. Despite these challenges, the harvest was completed on schedule thanks to careful preparation.
The successful results are the outcome of year-round work. All agrotechnical measures, from pruning and green operations to vineyard protection, were carried out on time and thoroughly, ensuring a healthy and stable crop. This season faced demanding weather conditions, particularly in June and July, with prolonged drought, frequent winds, and high temperatures, which created significant challenges for the vineyards. Timely management helped preserve the yield potential.
Plantaže continued its standard practice of a combined harvest method, using mechanized harvesting for some vineyards and hand-picking older plots and premium wine vineyards to maintain grape quality. Peruničić highlighted the close collaboration between vineyard engineers and processing technologists to plan each stage of harvesting and grape intake, maximizing the potential of each grape variety and ensuring the production of wines that reflect Plantaže’s quality on domestic and international markets.
The high yields and grape quality demonstrate the company’s skilled team, clear strategy, and strong organizational structure.
Plantaže also achieved strong results in table grape harvesting, surpassing annual plans, increasing revenue, and achieving higher average selling prices compared to last year. The table grape harvest ran from July 17 to September 9. During peak days, up to 5,500–6,000 crates were harvested daily. The grapes were healthy, large, juicy, uniformly colored, and flavorful, with exports to Serbia and Montenegro alongside the domestic market.
Peach and nectarine production faced challenges due to weather, including a late frost in February, wet and cool March, and unusually cold May, affecting early varieties. However, careful fruit selection and efficient harvesting ensured high quality, while effective marketing increased financial returns for peaches by 25% compared to last year.
Peruničić stressed that quality remains Plantaže’s most important value, recognized and appreciated by consumers.
