Moldovan wine export to Russia to be resumed on January 15

The Prime-Minister Vasile Tarlev considers that there are real chances that on January 15 the export of Moldovan agricultural production to the Russian Federation be resumed, including wine exports. According to him, at present, about 30 major wine producing companies are finishing the implementation of all the requirements formulated by the Russian part. Vasile Tarlev mentioned that Moldova, in turn, implemented all “possible and impossible” measures in order to create conditions for resuming the exports. On January 2 the Informational system of alcoholic beverage quality has been launched. The state trademark will be applied to alcoholic goods intended for export. It will be issued exclusively by the Centre for certification of alcoholic beverages. At the first stage, “Moldova-Vin” printed 5 million trademarks which would cover the necessary amount for export in January. Trademarks can be obtained by companies verified by “Moldova-Vin”. Till now, more than 40 companies of 310 have been inspected. Each trade mark includes a code, which enables consumers to find information about the producer on the website http://www.vinmoldova.org. The lack of information on the site indicates that the given product is counterfeit. The Government also approved several normative acts, providing for the creation of an automatic register of ethylic alcohol circulation, the obligation for the producers of “peasant wine” to hold licences and register at the Fiscal Inspectorate as excise payers. The government approved the delimitation of the state territory in wine regions, increased subventions for plantation of new varieties of vine. According to authorities, the implemented actions are to improve the quality of wine production and lead to the promotion of Moldovan wines on foreign markets. The Russian Federation banned wine imports from Moldova in late March, citing pesticides and metals, harmful to one’s health. In the period from January to October 2006 Moldovan wine exports to the Russian Federation constituted about USD 153.4 mln representing only 53.1% of the indices of the same period of 2005. However, Moldova operated in the mentioned period most of the total of exports to the Russian Federation, USD 815.7 mln.