Exports of wine distillates rose 87% in 2012

Moldova’s exports of alcoholic products have increased. The exports of wine distillates (raw material of cognac) in 2012 rose by 87%, while the wine exports by 8% on 2011. The exports of alcoholic beverages last year totaled US$142 million, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry. According to the Agriculture Ministry’s Marketing and International Relations Division, the rise in exports is mainly due to the larger exports to Russia and the United States. Owing to the upward trend in wine exports to Belarus, Moldova ranked first among the countries exporting wine products to this state. The exports of alcoholic drinks to the European Union grew last year. Annually, Moldova can export 180 million hectoliters of alcoholic beverages to the EU, under the autonomous trade preferences. This quota was 91.77% used. The exports to the Commonwealth of Independent States represented the lion’s share. In 2011 and 2012, they made up over 75% of the exports of alcohol. In order to improve the trade relations with Russia, an additional terminal for delivering wine products was set up in Bryansk in 2012. Moldova’s exports to the EU in 2011 and 2012 represented about 15% of the exports of alcohol. Among the CIS states, Russia imports the largest volume of catholic drinks from Moldova. The exports of alcohol to Belarus and Kazakhstan in 2012increased compared with 2011, but to Ukraine decreased. Among the EU member states, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Romania import the largest quantity of Moldovan alcoholic beverages. The Czech Republic ranks second even if the imports from Moldova in 2012 fell slightly on 2011. Moldova exports mainly red wine for current consumption. The exports of such wine came to over US$40 million.