Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Distributors from Russia have sharply increased the import of inexpensive wines from Uzbekistan. This was reported by Kommersant.

For three quarters of the year, imports from Uzbekistan to Russia increased 4.5 times, to almost 850 thousand liters. In the segment of wines up to 300 rubles. per bottle there is a shortage of production and the potential to increase supply. The main volume - more than 515 thousand liters - came from imports in the third quarter.

According to market participants, most of the wines from Uzbekistan were imported by Wine and Cognac Trust LLC (VKT).

According to the Federal Accreditation Service, VKT received declarations of conformity for wines and cognacs from the Tashkentvino plant. A smaller part of wine imports from Uzbekistan, according to market participants, was provided by Mistral Alco, which is mainly known as a supplier of Abkhazian wines to Russia.

Fort import director Daria Sologub says that Uzbekistan was a major supplier of table grapes back in Soviet times, and now they have begun to make wine there as well. The process of re-equipping the industry is quite long, so the quality of wines is average so far, but importers working in the inexpensive segment could bet on the country, she points out. In addition, Ms. Sologub adds, consumers can switch to inexpensive wines in conditions of economy. 

Dmitry Isachenkov, development director of Ladoga, says that Uzbek wines are close to the consumer in the post-Soviet space in terms of organoleptic properties, and logistics with the country is simple. But at a comparable price, you can find European wine, he notes.