Wine imports reach 10m euros

Since the beginning of 2006, the Spanish have sold almost 150,000 hectolitres of wine on the local market, worth over 1.3 million euros, which is in stark contrast to the volume sold (under 200 hectolitres) in the same period of last year. Wines from Spain, together with those from France and from the Republic of Moldova took wine imports in Romania to 330,000 hectolitres in the first five months, almost a 42-fold increase against the same period of 2005. In the same period, exports were down by half in the same period, according to information from the National Winegrowing Association (PNVV). Wine imports reached 10.6 million euros in the first five months, compared with 1.6 million euros in January-May 2005. The main suppliers were Spain (with 149,258 hectolitres), the Republic of Moldova (with 101,612 hectolitres) and Italy (with 70,368 hectolitres), with imports from these markets accounting for over 80% of the total imports in the first five months.