Russian expert sure Moldovan wines can return to Russian market in same quantities, but in face of stiff competition

The question is not the return of the Moldovan wines to the Russian market, as they are sold in the Moscow shops now, but the return in the same quantities as before, independent wine expert from Moscow Yulia Melik-Parsadanova said in a vide conference Chisinau –Moscow, quoted by Info Prim Neo. The conference was themed “When will Moldovan wines return to the Russian market?”. Yulia Melik-Parsadanova said that though Moldova is a country with good traditions in winegrowing and winemaking, it has not worked enough on the improvement of marketing and has not studied enough the consumer preferences during the last few years. The ban on the import of Moldovan wine into Russia imposed in 2006 had serious consequences for the Moldovan wine industry and the country’s economy. On the other hand, the Moldovan wines were replaced by the wines of Hungary, France, Italy and Latin America. “Many foreign and national wines are sold in our shops. They are not more expensive than the Moldovan wines. I think the Moldovan wines can return to the Russian market in the same quantities, but only in the face of stiff competition,” the expert said. As to the Rospotrebnadzor chief’s statements that the Moldovan wines contain harmful substances, the expert said they will not influence much the tastes of those who buy Moldovan wine. MP Dmitri Todoroglo, the head of the parliamentary commission for agriculture and food industry, said the Moldovan wine producers are not afraid of competition. “We want the products that are exported to Russia to be assessed fairly, according to the same criteria as those used for other wines,” he said. Referring to the noxious substances that would have been found in Moldovan wines, Todoroglo said the wines exported to Russia and other markets are subject to strict control, while the certificates for export are issued by a special laboratory. Demian Karaseni, deputy head of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia, proposed discussing these issues with the competent Russian authorities, including at an anti-crisis forum. He stressed that the wine industry is very important for Gagauzia and the entire Moldova. Attending the debate, Corneliu Ciurea, expert of the Institute for Development and Social Initiative “Viitorul”, said it is not very clear in Moscow, as well as in Chisinau, why the Moldovan wines are not good anymore. “This semi-embargo will affect the Moldovan wine industry that faces enough difficulties. Alternative markets should be identified. The situation could improve in autumn. The politicians can now prove how capable they are of solving this problem,” Corneliu Ciurea said.