After sustaining huge losses following the embargo imposed by Russia on Moldovan wine imports in 2006, the state-owned quality wine complex “Milestii Mici” penetrated new markets. Thus, after 2006 no bottle of wine made by this complex was sold to Russia. In a meeting with journalists, the company’s director Gheorghe Castravet said that until Russia does not offer advantageous conditions for selling wines of a high quality on its market, “Milestii Mici” will not export products to this country.
Gheorghe Castravet has told IPN that now the company that he heads exports most of its products to China. Trade with the Chinese commercial partners this year amounted to about 12 million lei. “We were instructed to raise exports to China by 10% a year. We would like to increase them even more. We established commercial relations with China three years ago,” he said.
The wine complex exports annually 3 million decaliters of wine or 45 million bottles. Sales rise by 25-27% every year. Gheorghe Castravet said “Milestii Mici” was able to develop at a normal pace, to pay the debts and to raise the salaries of employees, without exporting to Russia. “We discussed with potential buyers in private and told them that we can supply products to them directly if they pay in advance. Russian specialists came to check the quality of our products after the imposition of the embargo this year. They had an insulting behavior. After they examined the whole process, they asked to see employees’ toilets,” he stated.
According to Gheorghe Castravet, the Russians have greater objections to the Moldovan wines. “We demand that they apply to the Moldovan wines the same conditions as to the other European countries producing wine,” he said, adding that from January 1, 2004, when the EU market will be liberalized for the Moldovan wines, the company will take part in all the exhibitions and will make effort to cope with the competition from the EU winemakers.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vasile Bumacov said that in Moldova there are only several wine companies that exported products mainly to Russia. Among them is the state-owned company “Cricova”.
After Russia imposed a ban on the imports of Moldovan wine on September 10, Moldova sustained losses of about US$20 million.
