Is winemaking in Moldova on the verge of extinction? Analysis by Info-Prim Neo

If the export of wine to the Russian Federation is not resumed, the wine industry and winemaking culture in the Republic of Moldova will be in danger of extinction, representatives of Moldovan wine companies, who wished to remain anonymous, told Info-Prim Neo. According to them, only about 20 of the 300 companies that exported wine to Russia last year still manage to cope with the export difficulties they face at present. The Moldovan wine businesses that were allowed to resume the exports by Russia’s food safety body Rospotrebnadzor say they cannot export their products through the fault of the Moldovan state, especially of President Vladimir Voronin. The most serious obstacle hindering the resumption of wine exports to Russia is not Rospotrebnadzor, but Vladimir Voronin, who said that no trademarks for export will be issued if Rospotrebnadzor does not allow all the Moldovan companies to export. The cited sources say that it is impossible to authorize all the companies simultaneously. This can happen gradually, but everyone will suffer in the meantime. The winemakers say that the optimism about the resumption of exports from the start of this year has already faded away and no enterprise hopes to ever resume exporting to Russia. Though sure that they could purchase Russian trademarks without problems, because the samples submitted to Rospotrebnadzor passed the test and the companies received permission from the Russian authorities to export, the winemakers say this is a risk since there is no certitude as regards the policy promoted by the central authorities of Moldova. Asked if the European Union market is indeed as promising as the head of Moldova-Vin Agroindustrial Agency Valeriu Mironescu told a news conference on August 28, the cited sources said that state authorities’ statements about this are aberrations. According to them, the Moldovan wines will not manage to penetrate in the near future the markets of such countries as Germany, France, of the Scandinavian states and even of the United States because this is a difficult process accompanied by permanent promotions of over 5-6 years that entail huge costs. No enterprise in Moldova can now cover them without the support of the state. The EU market is regarded as very conservative as regards the wine. Though the quality of the Moldovan wines is exceptional as it was highly appreciated at different international competitions, the wine producers say, the Western consumers do not easily renounce their tastes. Moreover, the Moldovan wine seems completely different from what they consumed until present. This is also because the Moldovan wine has a specific taste that is felt by the Western consumers, the taste of fructose, of the soil that is not like in Europe, the experts say. They say that the exports to the EU have increased, but to such eastern states as Romania, Poland, the Czech Republic, which knew about the Moldovan wine earlier. But, according to the sources quoted by Info-Prim Neo, no other market will cover Moldova’s earlier exports to Russia because Russia has a culture of consuming Moldovan wines that has lasted for hundreds of years and the Moldovan wines could not be replaced by the French or Latin America wines that appeared on the Russian market recently. Five companies have been authorized to export wine to Russia so far. These are the Moldovan companies "DK-Intertrade", "Vismos", "Calarasi Divin" and the Transnistrian companies "Kvint" and "Букет Молдавии". Rospotrebnadzor is now examining samples of wines from another 12 companies, including "Asconi", "Basvinex", "Vinaria Purcari", "Migdal-P", "Romanesti", "Vinaria Bostavan", "Lion-Gri" etc.