Russian watchdog agency permits imports of Georgian wines from 95 wineries

Russia’s federal service for the protection of consumer rights, Rospotrebnadzor, has permitted imports of Georgian wines from 95 wineries and table mineral water from seven bottling factories, Russian Chief Sanitary Doctor Gennady Onishchenko told Itar-Tass. These enterprises will be able to supply to wine and mineral water to Russia upon the results of three specialized inspections done by Rospotrebnadzor experts between the end of February and September 20. As part of the latest inspection that took place from September 16 to September 20, 2013, expert assessment of 41 Georgian wineries and five water bottling factories was done. A total of eleven wineries and three bottling factories did not get the permits to supply their produce to the Russian market, Onishchenko said. “All the enterprises that received permits during the last trip of the experts will yet have to submit samples of their produce for registration and only after it they will be able to start the supplies,” Onishchenko said. He admitted that, on the whole, the experts who had visited Georgia were pointing to a fairly encouraging dynamics in the production of wines and mineral waters in the South Caucasian country. Onishchenko said the invigoration of these industries in Georgia is clearly linked to the reopening of the Russian market for Georgian companies as of spring 2013. The Russian market is the most customary and spacious one for Georgian producers, he added. Along with it, Onishchenko warned the Georgian authorities and producers that Rospotrebnadzor had not delegated the right to holding talks and making statements on its behalf to anyone. “Everyone claiming they have the powers to do this are lying,” he said. Rospotrebnadzor officials say a total of 1,529 consignments of alcoholic beverages were imported into Russia from Georgia in the period of May through to September. They were consigned by 22 companies and their volume stood at 5.33 million liters. Imports of Borjomi mineral water totaled 8.21 million liters at the same time. Rospotrebnadzor banned the imports of Georgian wines and Borjomi in spring 2006 citing the low quality of these products. The embargo was lifted in spring 2013.