Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 4
By Fikret Dolukhanov – Trend:
Uzbekistan will cultivate grape varieties allowing to produce wine meeting requirements of the world market, such as Pinot noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, the press service of the President of Uzbekistan stated referring to the meeting held by Shavkat Mirziyoyev on development of the wine industry, expansion of production and export of alcoholic beverages.
On Feb. 28, 2018, Uzsharobsanoat JSC was organized in accordance with the president's decree “On measures for improvement of the wine industry and sale of alcohol products”.
In 1H2018, with industrial growth of 11 percent, growth in the wine sector was only 0.9 percent. The level of capacity utilization for production of vodka was 71 percent, wine - 57 percent, champagne - 7 percent. As a result, production forecasts for the first half of the year were not met.
In countries with a high level of development of the beverage industry, the share of wine in the total volume of alcohol production is 75-80 percent. In Uzbekistan, winemaking hasn’t been receiving due attention. As a result, over the past 10 years, wine production has decreased 2.5-3 times. Wine makers use only 15 percent of their capacity. Only 25 percent of the enterprises have been modernized.
In this regard, it is planned to increase the area of vineyards in the Uzsharobsanoat system to 20,000 hectares by 2021.
A five-year program is to be developed to accelerate development of viticulture and grape processing, modernizing existing and creating new facilities for production of alcoholic beverages.
Instructions are given to attract investments in winemaking and production of alcoholic beverages, as well as to considerably increase exports through modernization of facilities and introduction of advanced technologies.
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