Azernews.Az

By Naila Huseynli

Azerbaijan will start exporting wine to Kazakhstan before the end of 2018, said the chairman of the Association of Wine Producers and Exporters Elchin Madatov.

“Until the end of 2018, we expect the export of wine to Kazakhstan. We also expect export expansion to the Baltic countries, Ukraine, and Belarus, which is potentially large markets for the sale of Azerbaijani wine,” added Madatov.

He also noted that the export of wine from Azerbaijan to the Baltic countries, Ukraine and Belarus is currently carried out in small volumes.

Companies that manufacture and export wine regularly purchase new technologies to improve and expand production, in the next two months, new wine production enterprises are planned to open in Azerbaijan, according to Madatov.

The country plans to increase wine exports fivefold by 2025, in accordance with the State Program for the Development of Winemaking for 2018-2025

The State Customs Committee reported exports of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as wine vinegar in January-June of 2018 amounted to $7.1 million which is 36.44 percent less than the same period in 2017. Import amounted to $35 million, which is 17.92 percent more than the same period of the first half of last year.

About 45 percent of budgetary payments fell to the share of producers of wine and other alcoholic beverages.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan plans to open wine houses in Shanghai, Beijing and other cities of China with the purpose of development and encouragement of national winemaking.

The history of winemaking in Azerbaijan dates back to ancient times, while Azerbaijani wine trade has flourished since Soviet period. In accordance with the statistics, 210 wineries operated in Azerbaijan in the 1980, while over 151.000 specialists worked in the winemaking companies.

After the collapse of Soviet Union, the country has been slowly rebuilding and modernizing its wine industry. Today, the country has about 10 wineries spread out in its five main winegrowing regions—Tovuz, Shamakhi, Ganja, Gabala, and Ismailli. The main export directions of the Azerbaijani wine are Russia and China.

Currently, Azerbaijan has over 20 grape varieties being used for winemaking and more than 12,000 hectares of primarily replanted vineyards, grape varietals include the classics; Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. As well as, the traditional varieties are Matrasa, Saperavi, Rkasiteli, and Muscat.

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