(MENAFN- AzerNews)
By Leman Mammadova
Today there is a great demand for Azerbaijani wines in foreign markets since they have always distinguished by their quality and taste.
Azerbaijan exported 231,330 decaliters of wine and grape must worth $3 million in the first half of 2019.
The main customer of Azerbaijani wine products was Russia. As much as 217,480 decalitres worth $2.4 million was exported to Russia in January-June 2019.
Azerbaijan exported wine and grape must for $7.6 million in 2018. The volume of wine production in the country grew by 48.9 percent and amounted to 1.5 million decalitres last year.
Winery occupies one of the most important areas in the food industry of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is famous for its high quality grape varieties.
Five major wine-growing regions of the country are Shamakhi, Ismayilli, Gabala, Ganja and Tovuz. Local grape varieties in Azerbaijan include White Shani, Derbendi, Nail, Bayanshire, Gamashara, Ganja Pink, Bendi, Madrasa, Black Shani, Zeynabi, Misgali, Khindogni, Agdam, Kechiemjeyi, Tebrizi and Marandi.
According to the State Program on the development of wine growing for 2018-2025, the export of wine from Azerbaijan should increase fivefold by 2025.
In 2016, Azerbaijan Wine Manufacturers and Exporters Association was established to coordinate activities between producers and exporters of wine and winery products. Currently, about 40 winemaking enterprises operate in Azerbaijan, producing natural wine, sparkling wine, liqueur, brandy, vodka, ethyl alcohol, cognac and etc.
Most of producers target Russian and European markets as well as new growing markets for Azerbaijani wine such as China.
Currently, specialized wine houses of Azerbaijan operate in two cities of China. Recently, a wine house of Azerbaijan opened in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg. As many as 120 wine products and alcoholic beverages of Azerbaijani producers are presented in the wine house.
Azerbaijan also plans to open a wine house in St. Petersburg in the second half of 2019.
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Leman Mammadova is AzerNews' staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
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