Welcome, Guest! - Login or Register, Online: 129

Moldova

New Moldovan government lifts all restrictions of bulk wine export

September 30, 2009
Subscribe to: RSS, Email

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry has lifted all the restrictions on the exports of wine in bulk and exports of industrial grape varieties, Minister Valeriu Cosarciuc told journalists this decision was taken by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry on the new Government's request.

He motivated this decision by the fact that the situation in the winemaking and viticulture sector is complicated, the winemaking enterprises' debt to viticulturists are valued at 200 million lei (US$17.2 million), 50 farms are in the bankruptcy procedure.

The minister recalled that up to the present moment winemakers and viticulturists, who wished to export grape or wine in bulk, had to register respective contracts in the Moldova-vin agency.

"The Ministry, which supervises the agency, cancelled this provision. The customs service has been already informed of this order and there are currently no impediments to the exports of winemaking and viticulture products abroad. All the Moldovan economic entities, who have contracts for the exports of their products, may export them without any interference on the part of the state. Exporters must only certify the quality and security of their products", Cosarciuc said.

According to the data by the Moldova-vin agency, about 170 million liters of the wine worth US$300 million produced in the previous years, were not sold. One of the main reasons for this situation is problems with wine exports in bulk.

The agency had great expectations for the opening of three border checkpoints in Briansk, Saint-Petersburg and Kaluga for the exports of Moldovan alcohol products. It could have helped to raise the wine exports in up to 60-70 million liters a year. But for the time being, all the Moldovan wines and cognacs have been exported on the basis of the one-window system - through the customs terminal in Solntsevo (the Moscow region). Besides, RosPotrebNadzor allowed only six Moldovan companies (Imperial vin, Barza Alba, Lion-gri, DK Intertrade, Salcuta and KVINT) to supply wine in bulk.

Moldova exported more than 44.26 million liters worth US$68.2 million in the first half-year of 2009, the country reduced its wine exports by 30%, against the same period of 2008. Russia remains the main consumer of Moldovan alcohol products. For the first half-year Moldova exported more than 12.77 million liters of wine worth US$21.4 million, including 11.51 million liters of bottled wine worth US$17.2 million, 85 thousand liters of sparkling wines worth US$184 thousand, 199 thousand liters of wine in bulk worth US$104.1 thousand and 808 thousand liters of cognac worth US$3.58 million.

Infotag




Add a comment
( Login or Register to post comments )

Log In
Username
Password
I've forgotten my password! Click here!