Georgian wine export up 85% in January-March 2017

Georgia exported 14,199,018 bottles of wine to 38 countries from January to March 2017, adding $32.2 million to the economy.

Revenue increased by 77 percent from the same period in 2016, while the volume of exports increased by 85 percent, said the Georgian National Wine Agency.

The top five countries that imported Georgian wine in January-February 2017 were:

1. Russia – 8,987,745 bottles
2. China – 1,794,200 bottles
3. Ukraine – 1,305,508 bottles
4. Poland – 561,294 bottles
5. Kazakhstan – 473,515 bottles

Wine exports also increased to the European Union (EU), China and other traditional export markets for Georgia, said the Georgian National Wine Agency.

This year exports of Georgian wine increased to:

• China – 383 percent (1,794,200 bottles)
• Israel – 333 percent (42,570 bottles)
• Russia – 120 percent (8,987,745 bottles)
• Canada – 55 percent (34,650 bottles)
• Poland – 27 percent (561,294 bottles)
• Germany – 22 percent (98,926 bottles)
• Ukraine – 20 percent (1,305,508 bottles)
• United States – 7 percent (66,714 bottles)
• Latvia – 5 percent (255,896 bottles)

Meanwhile, Georgia exported 3,302,962 bottles of Georgian brandy to 13 countries in the first three months of 2017. This was a 51 percent increase year-over-year (y/y).

So far this year, Georgia has generated $8.7 million from the sale of brandy abroad.

Georgia also exported 46,990 bottles of Chacha – 142 percent more compared to the same period of last year. By selling Chacha abroad Georgia generated $137,000, which was 114 percent increase y/y.

In total, Georgia has sold $58.5 million worth of alcoholic beverages in January-March 2017, including wine, brandy, chacha and others.