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Exports of Georgian wines fall due to lower shipments to Ukraine and Russia
Exports of Georgian wines have fallen by 46% in January-August 2015, according to the National Wine Agency under the Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia.
It is stated that «exports to two largest importers – Russia and Ukraine – have sharply gone down, despite an increase in exports to a wide range of other countries». «A decrease in exports to those countries was observed due to political and economic developments in the region and affected total wine exports», the Agency states.
Exports to Russia totaled 10,111,948 bottles (0.75 liters), a fall of 58% year-on-year, and Ukraine imported 1,739,438 bottles, a fall of 63%.
Georgia's cumulative wine exports over the first 8 months of 2015 totaled 19,860,452 bottles, which were purchased by 37 countries of the world with Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, China and Poland as top five importers.
It should be noted that exports of Georgian wines reached 10-year high in 2014: 59,067,335 bottles shipped to 46 countries of the world against just 46.7 mln bottles in 2013. Before the year 2014, the previous record high exports were registered in 2005: 57 mln bottles. According to the Agency's statement, Russia accounted for 88% of total exports of Georgian wines in 2005, while Russian share in 2014 reached 63%: 37,615,052 bottles.
Georgia did not ship wines to Russia in 2007-2012 with a fall in exports having been registered already in late 2006. Exports were again allowed in June 2013 and reached such results that Russia became the leading importer of Georgian wines in that year.