MOLDOVA HAS TO RAISE ELITE WINE EXPORTS TO EU – NVWO

Wines of VIP-category should be the basis of Moldovan winemaking exports to the European Union, said Vice Director of the National Vine and Wine Office (NVWO) Vladimir Grossu.

At the Thursday’s forum of exporters, he said that for raising Moldovan wines’ competitiveness it is necessary to concentrate on raising their quality.

“Moldova has smaller production potential than other countries and for domestic winemakers it is difficult and unprofitable to compete on the market in middle and low price category”, Grossu said, adding that the main consumers of Moldovan wines in the EU are Romania, Poland and the Czech Republic.

Within the promotion of domestic wines, the NVWO jointly with Polish partners have implemented a project, within which 330 stands for selling 22 brands of Moldovan wines were opened in 106 shops of Poland.

“The most demanded is the wine “Black Doctor” from Bostavan winery. Within the project, 168 thousand familiarizing brochures were distributed and around 14 thousand consumers were serviced. Such projects allow to better understand consumers’ preferences and they will continue in future – the NVWO is already conducting negotiations with Romania, where an equivalent campaign will be launched in 2018”, Grosu said.

Infotag’s dossier: The annual exports of wine account for approximately 13.4 million dal totaling US$156.1 million, which is 3.2% of the Moldovan GDP. Before the first Russian embargo on Moldovan wine imports, the exports exceeded US$350 million. According to the 2016 results, Moldova is exporting wines and alcoholic products to 40 countries.