Shamakhi hosts round table on wine industry development

By Azernews

By Leman Mammadova

As viticulture holds one of the largest parts in the non-oil production in Azerbaijan, one of the main tasks of the country's economic policy is to ensure sustainable development of winemaking in the country, increasing interest in wine production and exports.

Azerbaijan’s climate and potential allow to develop wine tourism in the country, said Elchin Madatov, Chairman of Wine Manufacturers and Exporters Association, during the round table "Prospects for the development of the wine industry in Azerbaijan and the development of export potential".

The event was organized in Meysari village of Shamakhi region on the territory of the complex of viticulture and winemaking of Shirvan Sharablary LLC as part of the Grape and Wine Festival held on August 30-31.

Madatov described winemaking and viticulture as traditional spheres for Azerbaijan and noted that great work has been done in the country to develop winemaking over the past decade. “About 12 wineries, meeting modern standards, have been built in the country during this period. World’s well-known specialists are working at the wineries of Azerbaijan.”

He further said that interest in winemaking has increased in the country in recent years. In his words, the total production of wine products increased by 50 percent, and exports by 29.4 percent in 2018, compared to 2017.

“Although we are still far from the indicators of the Soviet period, I believe that Azerbaijan will be able to achieve past results due to the support of winemakers and the state,” he added.

In his speech, Vugar Mikayilov, Director of the AzGranata plant, offered not to rank wine as an alcoholic beverage, but to widely advertise it.

“If we really want to develop viticulture, then wine should not be considered an alcoholic beverage,” he said.

He suggested that, like in other countries, strong drinks from wild berries and fruits should be produced in Azerbaijan.

Mikayilov further stressed that it is necessary to increase the number of small entrepreneurs involved in winemaking, due to which tens of thousands of new jobs can be opened in the country.

He said that the export potential of wine increased by 30 percent as a result of state support.

“The highest quality table wine is recorded in Azerbaijan. But the price of such wine is in the range of 1.4 - 2.0 dollars,” Mikayilov noted.

He explained it with the fact that vineyards are still not divided by geographical zones. “We will sell our wines cheaply until the division.”

“It doesn't take much to sell the wines at a higher price. To this end, the state must decide on the names of the zones,” he noted, adding that further, the specialists of plants located in these zones will be able to check each other's orchards and grapes. “Then the wine can be produced under the name of this geographical area.”

In turn, Ajdar Shafizade, Director of Savalan winery, highlighted the necessity of the organization of wine tours for tourists arriving in Azerbaijan

He pointed out that the level of sales of Azerbaijani wines is already high in many countries, but recently the development of the wine industry has somewhat weakened.

Shafizade underlined that the sales of Azerbaijani wine will increase in world by uniting Azerbaijani diaspora abroad and involving the tourism factor. “We need to popularize our local wines.”

The event was also attended by Tofig Rzayev, director of the organization and monitoring of fruit and wine growing and viticulture at the Ministry of Agriculture; international expert Pizzi Angelo Antonio (Italy); Namig Tagiyev, chief director of the Azerbaijan Standardization Institute; Vidadi Hasanov, director of the Sheki winery attached to the Azerbaijan Industrial Corporation; Nizami Aliyev, general manager of the Shirvan wines plant; Sakina Askerova, associate industry manager of Azerbaijan Tourism Board; Elmir Gadirov, chief adviser for the regional development of tourism of the State Tourism Agency; specialists, winemakers, entrepreneurs, representatives of relevant government agencies and foreign experts.

As part of the round table dedicated to the problems existing in the wine industry, development directions and issues of access of local wine products to foreign markets, the participants held discussions, exchanged views and made suggestions on the further development of viticulture and winemaking, expansion of production, creation of branded products, creation of tourist routes.

The round table noted that Azerbaijan is one of the centers of the origin and formation of grape culture, an ancient center of viticulture and winemaking. For many centuries, viticulture was the leading branch of agriculture and the main source of economic well-being of the people in Azerbaijan.

The “State program for the development of viticulture in Azerbaijan for 2012-2020” helps to stimulate the development of viticulture in the country, in order to better meet the population’s demand for high-quality table grape varieties, improve the raw materials supply of wineries and grape-processing enterprises, as well as to increase export wine and grape products.

It was also noted at the round table that competent policies regarding the development of small and medium-sized businesses gradually began to bear fruit. Projects are being implemented to help entrepreneurs in their business, preferential loans are issued to business structures, innovations are applied. The favorable conditions are created for improving the well-being of the rural population as a whole, but also for the development of viticulture and winemaking in Azerbaijan.

The share of Azerbaijan in the wine production in the former Soviet Union was always high. Nevertheless, the Alcoholism and Anti-Drinking Initiative of the former Soviet Union in 1985 caused the destruction of the vineyards of more than 130,000 hectares in Azerbaijan.

Adoption of Law on Winemaking in 2001, was one of the first steps towards the restoration of vineyard and winemaking in the country. Presently, about 40 winemaking enterprises operate in Azerbaijan producing natural wine, sparkling wine, liqueur, brandy, vodka, ethyl alcohol, cognac, etc.

Azerbaijan plans to develop the first wine tourist route in the history of the country. A new highly specialized tourist route will pass through the wineries of the Absheron, Ismayilli, Shirvan, Gabala, Sheki and Goygol regions.

Tourism experts intend to pave the route in such a way that within a few days, foreigners would be taken from one region to another, giving them the opportunity to visit wineries where the legendary Azerbaijani alcoholic beverages are produced.

In addition, tourists will get the opportunity to personally taste wine drinks. Azerbaijan also intends to connect it with the famous Georgian wine route, paving the way for tourists from Sheki to Kakheti, a Georgian region.