Russia’s alcohol exports have halved in a year

In 2023, Russia exported 9 million liters of strong alcohol and 1.2 million liters of wine (sales in duty-free stores are not taken into account). At the end of 2022, these figures were 19 and 1.9 million liters, respectively.

Vodka exports in 2022 amounted to 19.2 million liters, in 2023 – less than 9 million liters. The countries to which it was supplied were fewer: 34 instead of 63. In 2022, the leaders in Russian vodka consumption were Latvia, Great Britain, Georgia, Germany and Israel. In 2023: Georgia, China, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Israel.

Until 2022, national alcohol exports grew and exceeded an average of 25 million liters annually. In spring 2022, the United States, followed by the EU, Canada and several other countries, banned the import of alcoholic beverages from Russia.

At the same time, the Russian Export Center noted an increase in demand for domestic wines in friendly countries such as China, Vietnam and Türkiye. According to the results of the first nine months, Russian suppliers managed to increase the export of sparkling wine by 2.4 times, up to 1 million liters, said Oleg Knyazkov, deputy director of the Industrial Experience Center of Rosselkhozbank. Total supplies for this period amounted to 1.9 million liters, or $3.4 million.

“The main wine exports in 2024 will be in the following directions: China (mainly still wine), Kazakhstan, Belarus, Abkhazia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia (sparkling wines) and others,” Knyazkov said.

The Rust group of companies (Russia’s largest vodka exporter) reported that supply volumes in 2024 increased by more than 20%: export volumes to the CIS countries, the Middle East, India and the Asian region and the Pacific are growing, they replaced the EU and US markets.

On October 14, the Vedomosti newspaper reported that the Luding Group had signed an agreement with Scotsman Campbell Mayer to produce Glendale whiskey in Russia. Bottling of the drink is planned to begin before the end of 2024 at the Kolomensky Wine and Cognac Factory in the Moscow Region.

China introduced temporary anti-dumping measures against brandy from Europe on October 11. The Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China said that EU suppliers will now have to pay a tax of 30.6 to 39% of the cost of products for their sale in the country.