Local wine production dropped by 7.6% in 2009

The wine production obtained last year by local producers was 4.96 million hl, on the drop by 7.6% against 2008 when 5.37 million hl were produced, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR) informs.The 2009 wine production is smaller than in 2008, because a large number of producers have applied to the restructuring / reconversion measure, ministry representatives explain.

Romania exported last year about 127,000 hl. On the drop by 15% compared to the same period of 2008, when about 149,000 hl of wine. The main countries of destination of Romanian wines were Germany, Great Britain, Denmark, Estonia and Russia. In 2009 wine imports dropped to 117,000 hl, while the previous year about 389,000 hl of wine had been imported from Spain, Italy, Moldova, France, South Africa and Bulgaria. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the area cultivated with vine grew slightly last year to 176,600 ha, while 176,200 ha were cultivated in 2008.