‘Even though the ban on the supply of Moldavian wines has been removed, they won’t be able to win back their share of the Russian market,’ Omega Incorporated Ltd. Commercial Director Sergey Lapkin said to UrBC.

‘Firstly, there are now only a few Moldavian suppliers who have been allowed to operate in this country. Besides, their produce is bound to be 15% to 20% more expensive than before. Secondly, their niche has already been taken over by Russian winemakers as well as producers of inexpensive wines from Spain, Italy, Chile, and Argentina,’ Mr. Lapkin explained.

‘Prior to the ban, the share of Moldavian wines on the Russian market used to come to an impressive 40%; if Moldavian winemakers are intent on getting it back, it will take them about ten years of hard work,’ he said.

Rospotrebnadzor (the state consumer rights watchdog) allowed two Moldavian strong drinks producers to supply their wines onto the Russian market some time after all the Moldavian wines had been banned because of violations of Russian sanitary requirements. The agency hasn’t set the date for resuming supplies yet. These two Moldavian producers have got sanitary certificates for 21 product types, with six kinds of cognacs and wines of yet another winemaker still undergoing expert examinations.