Russian winemakers would like Russian wine to be granted special status in Belarus in order to increase exports. Representatives of the Association of Winegrowers and Winemakers of Russia presented their proposals during Retail Days in Minsk, RBC reported.
“The Association of Winegrowers and Winemakers of Russia advocates the abolition of quotas for wines bearing the ‘Wine of Russia’ label, as well as the creation of a separate regulatory category for Russian wine in the Republic of Belarus. This would make it possible to take into account its special status as a fully controlled product and would contribute to the development of mutual trade between our countries,” said Pavel Mayorov, head of the association’s Export Support Centre.
According to him, Russian wine currently faces a number of restrictions on the Belarusian market. Between 1.5 million and 2 million litres of Russian wine are sold in Belarus annually. Russian producers believe exports could potentially increase to 18 million litres.
At the same time, they remain concerned that Belarusian producers continue to use wine materials imported from Europe.
