BEIRUT, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese farmers are embracing modern methods to produce traditional sour grape molasses more easily and efficiently.
A civil society association in Lebanon has recently established a unique mill that allows farmers to produce their molasses using automatic and modern equipment instead of copper containers and wood-burning stoves.
"This mill has made our lives much easier," said farmer Akram Abou Alwan, who usually gains revenues from two seasons: the season of sour grapes in the spring and that of regular grapes three months later.
The mill saves farmers from the trouble of washing, squeezing and filtering grapes before cooking them, which needs five to six hours of boiling, said Hassan Hamdan, a local farmer.
"I am happy to have found this mill as it helps us increase our production of molasses sold at 10 U.S. dollars per bottle weighing half a kg," he said.
Wafaa Jamal, the mill manager, told Xinhua that the mill has successfully attracted vine farmers from different Lebanese villages hoping to generate sufficient income.
Dalal Mansour, one of the association's volunteers and an expert in the production of sour grape molasses, explained the process of making molasses.
First, sour grapes are picked before ripening, and then taken to the mill to be squeezed and filtered with automatic machines.
"The juice is then boiled over a low heat in modern pots for about three hours so that the juice becomes relatively condensed and turns into a bright red color," Mansour said.
She explained that every 15 kg of sour grapes produces 1 kg of molasses, a rare substance in the market.
"Sour grape molasses is a very acidic but delicious product, and it can be a substitute for citric acid, which raised the demand for this substance by being used in luxury restaurants, not only in houses," she said.
Lebanon's Ministry of Agriculture reveals that an area of 115 million square meters is planted with grape vines in Lebanon, producing around 22,000 tonnes yearly. ■
