Moldovan wines problem to be settled down soon

The problem of the Moldovan wines can be solved in short-time with or without the help of the Russian market. This is the expected result of the actions undertaken until now and of the actions that will continue at the state level, declared for Info-Prim Neo the Director General of the Agro-industrial Agency “Moldova-Vin”, Valeriu Mironescu. According to the quoted source, the situation is not simple at all, but also not tragic. Mironescu recognizes that a big part of the responsibility belongs to the Agency because it did not pay the necessary attention to the diversification of the commodity markets. He stated that the Russia’s requests were too big and permanently increasing, that is the reason why some strategic points that would have insured the security of the wine area of Moldova were forgotten. “Even if Russia will resume the imports, anyway, we will expand to other markets, so the situation would not repeat”, mentioned Mironescu. The head of “Moldova-Vin” remarked that at the moment great efforts are made for the diversification of the commodity markets and for promoting the Moldovan wines abroad. “Moldova is present in 43 countries of the world, but it did not always satisfy the demands of these markets because the majority of production was absorbed by the Russian market. In order to be successful in the wine area, the foreign consumers must at first recognize the Moldovan wines. On this grounds the Moldovan wines at first will be promoted and then delivered to these markets. Primordially, the Polish, German, Romanian and Chinese markets are examined, added Mironescu. The quoted source mentioned that several measures for improving the Moldovan wines, both quality and prices, will be undertaken. “Until now, the predominating wine export production was of cheap wines, but this fact does not mean that the production was not qualitative. But in order to raise the value of the wine, Moldova will start producing wines of higher quality. The Republic of Moldova is the second country that exports cheap wine after Bulgaria”. Referring to the previous declarations of the Russian head veterinary doctor, Ghenadie Oniscenco, Mironescu said that after the bans it is logic to follow the recertification period of the Moldovan wine production and admittance of the wines that correspond to the requested standards. The last tests for 43 samples of wine performed by the Russian laboratories show that the production that is now in Russia complies with all chemical parameters and security standards. These tests will analyze the quality of nearly 25% of the production from the Russian territory, which represents 15 million bottles. Mironescu denied categorically the accusations of the Russian officials regarding the noxiousness of the Moldovan wines, excluding at the same time the political aspect of the problem. According to him, Oniscenco undertook exaggerated actions in the area of consumers’ protection. The inoffensiveness of the Moldovan wines was also confirmed by the recent tests performed in Moldova on 160 samples of wines from 70 enterprises. Valeriu Mironescu did not specify what are the wine exporters’ losses that came as result of the bans imposed by Russia, but he mentioned these are significant. On the other hand, according to him, in the second part of the year several actions that would diminish the impact of these losses for the Moldovan economy could be undertaken, but he did not mention them. About 80% of the wine-producing companies from Moldova halted their activity. “The wine production on the Russian territory is the property of the Russian economic agents, for this reason they have greater losses than the Moldovan exporters. But it also makes them act, fact that could end the wine conflict”. Asked if the banks could bankrupt because of the impossibility of credits’ reimbursement by the exporters, Mironescu told that the credits are rescheduled and that the banks must be more lenient with the wine producing companies, which are among their most important clients. According to the data of the Agro-Industrial Agency “Moldova-Vin”, the amount of wine exports constituted in 2005 about 3131\ million USD, increasing by 12% comparing to 2004. In the first two months of 2006 wines and divines were exported (Cognac like beverages) amounting to 41.46 million USD (3581.4 decaliters), comparing to 32.62 million USD in the similar period of the last year (3104.7 decaliters). The information regarding the wine deliveries in the period after the bans imposed by Russia were not yet made public. The share of wines in the total amount of exports constitutes 32%. The market segment of the Moldovan wines in the Russian Federation is of about 70%. The Republic of Moldova is on the 11th place in the top of wine exporters. The average exports of Moldova amount to nearly 150 million liters per year. Russia banned the commercialization of Moldovan wines on 27 March 2006, justifying by the fact the Moldovan wines are harmful for one’s life.