DIASPORA CONSUMES ARMENIAN WINE
A1+
[02:19 pm] 06 November, 2007
"No legal norm prohibits a producer to write on the bottle whatever
he wants, while each label should give information about the wine,
provide information about the place where the wine was made, about its
history and give information about those who have made the wine. But
today we have to believe in each information written on the label",
says President of Wine-Makers Association of Armenia Avag Harutunyan.
This and many other problems hamper the export of the Armenian wine.
"About 2 million bottles were exported from Armenia in 2006, while
Georgia used to export 40 million bottles and Moldova 200 million
bottles to the Russian market.
"One bottle of Armenian wine costs 2 USD, the price of the exportation
is 0,5 USD, thus the Armenian wine costs about 3-5 USD. They are the
cheapest wines. In this regard Armenian wines are competitive with
wines costing 1-3 USD. On the other hand Armenia is perceived with
its cognac by the world" says Mr Harutunyan. He considers that the
main consumer of the Armenian wine in abroad is the Armenian Diaspora.
Avag Harutunyan considers that Armenia should answer to two main
questions during its 70-year-old activities in this field – how the
Armenian sorts of grape feel in the European technological system and
how the European sorts feel on our land. European standards demand
defined technologies for growing grape, restrictions of some sorts
and certain deadlines of harvest.
Mr Harutunyan ensures that the grape growing in a valley does not
correspond to the European standards.
Grape growing in Syunik and Tavush regions is more qualified.
"Thousand hectares of lands are left uncultivated, while grape
corresponding to the European standards may grow there", mentioned
Avag Harutunyan.