Prime Minister Vlad Filat today chaired a meeting of representatives of the vine-growing and wine-making sector, the government s press service has said.

 

The participants considered the situation in the sector, the evolution of exports and the emerged problems.

 

Agriculture and Food Minister Valeriu Cosarciuc said that the economic agents operating in the sector had managed to decrease their debts from 200 million lei (over 12 million euros) to 60 million lei and exports increased by about 17 per cent in the first five months of 2010 compared with the same period of the year before.

 

"Unfortunately, the situation has worsened lately as Russia halted Moldovan wine imports," Cosarciuc said.

 

He noted that 23 trucks loaded with bottled wine, another 23 trucks and two train carriages with bulk wine had been stopped at the terminal Solntsevo near Moscow and the wine certification process was halted.

 

Cosarciuc pointed out that so far the Russian federal service for consumers protection Rospotrebnadzor had sent no official document to announce an embargo on Moldovan wine.

 

The officials also spoke about how the quality of Moldovan wine meant for export is ensured.

 

Filat said that the wine-making sector is important for Moldova and problems that it was facing should be treated with high attention.

 

Filat advocated a permanent dialogue between wine-makers and authorities. He said that special attention should be paid to wine exports, specifying that all the emerging problems should be resolved by joint efforts.