About 30 % of imported wine may leave Russian market

Head of Russian quality system Roskachestvo Maxim Protasov has said that due to the price increases and the suspension of supplies of foreign companies, about 30 per cent of imported wine may leave the Russian alcohol market in 2022.

Russian-made wine is now "coming into fashion". He also mentioned problems with importing cork, which Russia does not produce, Russian economic newspaper Kommersant reports.

"We assume that about 30 per cent of imports (of wine) will leave our market this year, not only because of the stoppage of supplies by our foreign partners but also because of price increases and other restrictions," Protasov said in an interview with NTV at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.

He explained the increase in the cost of Russian wine with a change in the price of fertilisers and plant protection products, as well as an increase in the cost of grape production.

"There is only one remedy here - an increase in the number of vineyards, maximum substitution in terms of ingredients, plant protection products, fertilisers," he said.

Maxim Protasov added that there are problems with the import of cork due to logistics complications.

"We cannot produce a cork stopper, so we need to bring it," said the head of Roskachestvo. According to him, there will be enough traffic jams in Russia for this year's harvest for high-value product groups, and it is planned to find a logistical solution for the next season.