DRINKING WINE IS NOT A TRADITION IN ARMENIA
Lragir.am
06 June 06
Member of Parliament Manvel Ghazaryan, winemaker, Member of Parliament
Manuk Gasparyan and Avag Harutiunyan, the president of the Association
of Winemakers of Armenia, met on June 6 to discuss the state of
viticulture in Armenia and the level of support of the government to
winemakers. The latter was considered in the light of filling in the
gap in the Russian markets that occurred after banning the sale of
Georgian wines.
Manuk Gasparyan confessed that he drinks wine but is not fond of
drinking wine. However, as a person who understands economy he noticed
that the Russian economic system has been turned into politics, from
gas to mineral water. Hence, “it would be better if the government
helped the Armenian wine producers, at least indirectly,” because
they do not invade markets in a single day, “advertisement, marketing
are required.” “The Russian market is endless and, if we get orders,
viticulture will develop,” says Manuk Gasparyan.
Winemaker, Member of Parliament Manvel Ghazaryan states that there
have Armenian wines on the Russian market over the past 6-7 years,
the problem is to increase sales. Armenian wine cannot replace
Moldavian wine, cheap wine. The average price of our wines is 2-2.5
dollars and expensive wines cost 7-8 dollars. However, it is not a
matter of a day to fill in these gaps. Avag Harutiunyan, the chair of
the Association of Winemakers, said there are at least 10 countries
in the world, which can fill in the gap of the Russian market in
a day, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have become
more active. Moldavia is negotiating the return of its wine to the
Russian market. He declined to say why Armenia is not taking actions,
but he said that we have only three months to act. In the meantime,
the main market of the Armenian wines remains Armenia, where it is
not traditional to drink wine. “Due to our Russian orientation we are
used to drinking vodka,” says Manvel Ghazaryan. Manuk Gasparyan says
when the leadership plays basketball, everyone starts going in for
basketball, so let the leadership start drinking wine. “Soon water
will get more expensive and people will start drinking wine,” he added.