RA Prime Minister: Armenia today is experiencing a real winemaking boom

ArmInfo. Armenia today is experiencing a real winemaking boom. This was announced by RA Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan on November 23 at the opening ceremony of the international wine forum.

The Prime Minister expressed the wish that the Armenian winemakers, using the traditions of domestic winemaking, use modern advanced technologies and scientific potential, producing quality wine. "And by Armenian wine we mean more than 6-thousandth history, culture, traditions," Karen Karapetyan said.

From the side of the government of Armenia, the sphere of winemaking is recognized as a priority. The Wine and Viticulture Foundation was established in order to stimulate winemaking in the country, increase the image and competitiveness of domestic producers' products, increase export volumes, enhance the image of Armenia as a country, the producer of wine products. "Our ultimate goal is to form an international brand of Armenian wine, attract new investments in this sphere, increase the volume of export of wine products, approve and provide a stable place on the world's winemaking map," Karen Karapetyan said.

He informed the forum participants that in recent years positive tendencies have been observed in the wine industry of Armenia. So, in 2016, the country produced 7.5 million liters of wine, which is 14% higher than in the previous year. In the past year, 1.8 million liters of wine were exported, which is 37% higher than in the previous year. "And while the analysis of the situation in 2017 is not completed, nevertheless, the dynamics is preserved, and it is even positive," Karen Karapetyan said.

According to the head of the Armenian government, currently there are wine companies in Armenia with French, Italian, German technologies and equipment. Entrepreneurs from Argentina, the USA, Switzerland and Italy are active in the market, moreover, a significant share of investments falls on representatives of the Armenian diaspora of these countries. At the same time, as Karen Karapetyan noted, it is also joyful to observe the growth of investments from domestic investors, which in itself is a very important fact, since with internal investments there are also real prerequisites for large-scale foreign investments. "Armenia is open for attracting investments in winemaking, viticulture, other spheres, and is ready to work together with our partners to ensure the best business environment." And this forum for Armenia is a kind of platform for discussion with the best experts from different countries of wine development trends, experience exchange , cooperation in the name of establishing new ties for the development of Armenian winemaking, developing and implementing mutually beneficial programs, "Karen Karapetyan said.

It should be noted that the initiator of the International Winemaking Forum in Yerevan was  the Foundation for the Development of Winemaking and Viticulture.