Georgian winemakers face logistics, distribution problems in Russia - top official
MOSCOW. April 10 (Interfax) - Georgian winemakers cannot start supplying wine to Russia due to problems with logistics and distributors, Gennady Onishchenko, Russia's chief medical officer and head of consumer watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, told Interfax.
"The problem is not so much visas as logistics. All their problems are based on this. They cannot determine who is going to handle distribution," he said.
"Kindzmarauli Marani plans to sell in Russia via restaurants. What about the rest?" he said.
Earlier, Onishchenko told Interfax that Georgian wine supplies may start in April.
On April 8 the chief medical officer said the watchdog was waiting for the results of tests on Georgian wine samples from wineries that last week were checked in a second Russian inspection.
So far two Georgian companies have undergone state registration in Russia. Rospotrebnadzor experts visited these plants during the first inspection - Kindzmarauli Marani and Dugladze Wines Company.
The first inspection was carried out at the end of February - beginning of March and the second from April 1 to 5.
Onishchenko said that during the second inspection the watchdog had rejected 12 producers, which included LLC Palavani, LLC Kvarelsky Pogreb, Kindzmarauli Kvareli, Rachuli Vino and LLC Aragvi. "They were rejected due to non-compliance with wine production standards," he told Interfax Saturday.
"We believe that a considerable number of Georgian companies can continue to work towards obtaining access to the Russian market. There are great opportunities for the Georgian wine business to return to the Russian market," he said.
Russian and Georgia in February approved a mechanism for allowing Georgian products back onto the Russian market. It involves Rospotrebnadzor experts visiting Georgia and state registration in Russia of Georgian products.
Georgian wine and mineral water has not been officially sold on the Russian market since 2006. The ban was imposed due to complaints about quality.
