Georgia pledges largest-ever wine export to China

A Georgian wine company, Badagoni, will sell five million bottles of Georgian wine in China in what will be the largest export of Georgian wine to China in the history of both countries.

A respective memorandum was signed by representatives of Badagoni and China's Wenzhou Bydoway Import & Export Co. in Georgia’s top winemaking region Kakheti.

The country's Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Agriculture Minister Levan Davitashvili and other high officials attended the signing ceremony.

“Wine never was just a regular industry for Georgia. It was the essence of Georgia and an expression of its culture, national identity and heritage,” said Kvirikashvili while talking about Georgia’s rich winemaking traditions.

The Prime Minister noted increasing contracts between Georgian and Chinese companies became possible thanks to stronger, more intensive bilateral Georgia-China relations.

The latest step in enhancing relations was through a new Free Trade Deal.

The two countries completed Free Trade talks two months ago and once the agreement is officially signed, Georgia and China will be able to further increase trade and economic ties. The deal is due to be signed in the very near future.

“We have received consent from China's Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng that the part of the agreement related to wine will come into force immediately once the agreement is signed,” Kvirikashvili said.

“We think this will hugely increase the competitiveness of Georgian wine in the Chinese market.”

In Kakheti the Georgian top official praised Badagoni for its efforts to promote Georgian wine around the world and for exporting it's goods to 32 countries around the world.

Kvirikashvili stressed total exports of Georgian wine had increased by 28 percent last year and he expected this number would increase in the years to come. (Agenda.ge)