According to SeaNews Russian Foreign Trade Customs Statistics online service, in Q1 2020 Russia imported $582.2 mn worth of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, up 2% year-on-year.
Natural grape wines accounted for the largest share of imported beverages amounting to 7.4 mn decaliters (-13.4%) worth $207.7 mn (-5.3%). The major exporters of grape wined to Russia were Italy, Spain, Georgia and France.
Import of malt beer increased by 38.2% up to 8.8 mn decaliters worth $77.9 mn, up 32%. The largest volumes originated from Germany, Czech Republic, Belarus, Mexico, Lithuania and Belgium.
Import of natural mineral water made 3.4 mn decaliters (-10.7%) worth $22.6 mn (-13.1%). Most of the products were supplied from Greece, France and Italy.
In the strong alcoholic beverages segment, whisky accounted for the largest share import amounting to 441.5 thousand decaliters scaled down to 100% alcohol (+5.1%) worth $78.6 mn (+11.6%). The largest whisky exporters to Russia were Great Britain, Ireland and the USA.
Cognac import made 279.9 thousand decaliters scaled down to 100% alcohol (-23.3%) worth $51.3 mn (-11.9%). The main suppliers were Armenia, Georgia and France.
Vodka import amounted to 189.6 thousand decaliters scaled down to 100% alcohol, up 4.9% year-on-year, worth $12.6 mn, up 14.5%. Most of the imported vodka came from Belarus, Finland, Sweden, France and Latvia.
In the first quarter of 2020 Russia imported alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages from 85 countries, the major exporters being France, Italy and the United Kingdom.
Imports from France increased by 3.9% up to $76.5 mn with natural grape wines accounting for more than half of the supplies, while cognac made almost 30%.
Shipments from Italy amounted to $71.6 mn (+7.5%) with natural grape wines prevailing.
Import of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages from the UK rose by 4% up to $60.3 mn, most of this being whiskey.