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- Poured to the brim: Russia has produced a record volume of alcohol over the past eight years
Poured to the brim: Russia has produced a record volume of alcohol over the past eight years
Alcohol production in Russia in 2024 broke a record over the past eight years — its volume reached 10.1 billion liters, an increase of 9.5% compared to 2023. The most spectacular figures were demonstrated by wine, which showed an increase of 14% at once. Beer and spirits were in the second and third positions, according to data from Rosalokoltabakkontrol (RATK). At the same time, alcohol sales per capita grew, albeit at a more modest pace, experts from the Ministry of Health noted. Izvestia investigated which drinks are preferred in Russia today and what is the reason for the impressive dynamics of alcohol production.
Why has alcohol production increased dramatically in Russia?
In 2024, the volume of production of all alcoholic beverages increased by 9.5% compared to 2023 and amounted to 10.1 billion liters, which is a record for the last eight years. For example, in 2017, manufacturers produced 9.54 billion liters. Wines showed the greatest dynamics last year, production in this category increased by 14%, grape wines increased by 8.6%, sparkling wines — by 24.7%, liqueur wines — by almost 30%. Such data is contained in the draft final report of Rosalokoltabakkontrol (RATK), which was reviewed by Izvestia.
The second position in terms of positive dynamics was occupied by fermented beverages — beer and its derivatives, as well as cider and mead, which added 12%. This is followed by strong alcohol — vodka, cognac, whiskey, rum and others, the volume of which increased by 8%. Interestingly, according to the results of last year, production in the category of "weak alcohol" (for example, alcoholic cocktails) sank by more than half (-56%), which is due to a triple increase in the excise tax on it from May 1, 2024.
Simultaneously with the growth of alcohol production, there is also a tendency to increase its legal retail sales, which is interrelated, the RATK document says.
"Several factors influence the positive dynamics at once: the process of import substitution continues. The falling volumes of foreign alcohol are replaced by products of domestic production. Plus, the domestic tourism market is actively developing, as well as sales of alcoholic beverages on holidays and during the holidays," the service noted in the draft report. "Moreover, it is worth considering that the population of the Russian Federation has increased due to the inclusion of new regions in the country, which has an impact on the market."
The RATK added to Izvestia that production and retail sales volumes are growing amid a decrease in the share of illegal products on the market.
Interest in Russian wine is really growing, the positive dynamics of shelf sales confirms this, demonstrating an increase in the sale of domestic bottled wines by 13%, Arsen Karapetyan, CEO of the My Wine company, told Izvestia. For example, Inkerman, Massandra and Novy Svet wines combined showed growth above the market: in 2024, bottled sales increased by 25% compared to 2023.
— Such dynamics in sales and production of Russian wine in 2024 is due to several factors at once. The increase in excise taxes and duties on wines from unfriendly countries has led to an increase in consumer interest in domestic wine. There are also marketing campaigns, wine fairs for a wide range of consumers in the Russian Federation's million-plus cities, as well as specialized events for market professionals and others," the expert added.
He stressed that the law "On Viticulture and Winemaking in the Russian Federation" has become a key factor in the development of the domestic wine industry. One of the most important provisions of the document is the introduction of the definition of "Russian wine". It limited the use of imported wine materials, contributing to the development of its own vineyards and an increase in the share of domestic raw materials in production. In addition, the law introduced new rules for winemaking and labeling, thanks to which Russian wine began to be perceived as a product with controlled origin and quality. This has created a positive image of the drinks.
How the authorities support wine producers
In recent years, viticulture and winemaking in our country has become one of the most actively developing branches of agriculture, the Ministry of Agriculture told Izvestia. They noted that the area of grape plantations is increasing every year, the culture of winemaking and the quality of Russian wine are improving. The ministry expects wine production to increase this year.
"Consumers in shops and restaurants are increasingly choosing Russian wine, which currently accounts for about 60% of total wine sales," the Agriculture Ministry said. — It should be noted that the grape harvest and, consequently, the volume of wine production depend on weather conditions. So, in January–April of this year, 169 million liters of wine were produced in the Russian Federation, which is 4.9% more than in the same period of 2024. The production of both still and sparkling wines is growing. In total, 116 million liters of still wines and 48 million liters of sparkling wines were produced in the country in January–April, which is 5.2 and 6.9% higher than last year.
Grape production in Russia is growing annually, the ministry said. In 2024, the harvest amounted to 908 thousand tons, which is a record value in modern Russia. For comparison, in 2023, the figure was 882 thousand tons, the Ministry of Agriculture added. The area of grape plantations has reached 110.2 thousand hectares, of which 86.4 thousand hectares are in fruiting age.
Last year, producers planted almost 7.5 thousand hectares of new vineyards, with a greater increase in the Crimea and Krasnodar Territory. The most popular varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and pinot noir. The ministry also recalled that this industry in the Russian Federation is actively supported by the state within the framework of the federal project "Stimulating the development of viticulture and winemaking", which aims to significantly increase the area of vineyards in the fruiting age.
The demand for domestic wines has grown sharply in Russia, last year the entire volume of products produced was sold, sales even exceeded the volume presented by the manufacturers, and we had to use the leftovers, Alexander Stavtsev, head of the WineRetail information center, explained to Izvestia. All the wine made was immediately delivered to store shelves, he added. The fact is that the share of imported beverages in the sales structure has decreased.
— In quiet wines, the share of domestic wines accounted for about 68%, which is 10 percentage points higher than in 2023, in sparkling wines, the reduction in foreign supplies was 8 percentage points, as a result, their share is now about 70%. Such drastic changes are no coincidence, the fact is that there are virtually no foreign drinks left in the category up to 800 rubles," the expert said. "The authorities have consistently increased import duties on wines from unfriendly countries, first revised them from August 1, 2023 (to 20%), then from August 10, 2024. (up to 25%), and from May 1, 2025, the wine excise tax will also increase threefold.
Moreover, domestic manufacturers who make drinks from Russian grapes will be able to compensate for their collection costs. As a result, the trade has dramatically increased its demand for Russian beverages, which has significantly spurred their production, Alexander Stavtsev added.
Why have vodka and beer producers improved their performance
However, according to the calculations of the Ministry of Health, alcohol consumption per capita in terms of ethanol decreased slightly: from 8.49 liters in 2023 to 8.38 liters in 2024, Viktor Zykov, deputy head of the Department for the Prevention of Risk Factors and Communication Technologies in Healthcare at the Central Research Institute of the Ministry of Health, told Izvestia.
— During this period, the number of patients with alcoholism decreased by 3.6%, the incidence of alcohol dependence and alcoholic psychosis decreased by 3.5%. Thus, the growth in retail sales of alcoholic beverages last year was most likely due to the legalization of the alcohol market, including the expansion of the Honest Sign system to beer, beer drinks, cider, poire and mead from the end of 2023, the expert suggested.
Manufacturers of strong alcohol and beer products agree with this. For example, Igor Kosarev, president of the Union of Manufacturers of Alcoholic Beverages, told Izvestia that from January 1, 2025, the excise tax on vodka has sharply increased in Russia, it amounted to 740 rubles instead of 643 rubles earlier. Therefore, manufacturers, in anticipation of the measure, produced more in November and December 2024 - this "determines the production record of last year and the decline of this year," he noted. In January–April, the reduction amounted to 26%, the media reported earlier.
— In the first quarter of 2025, vodka sales decreased by 7.8%, indicating a shift in sales from legal to illegal trade. This is facilitated by the efforts of some governors who restrict the legal sale of alcohol in their territories. As a result, the turnover of illegal sales is growing. As for real consumption, it is indeed moving towards a more sober lifestyle, but, unfortunately, not at such a significant pace," the expert explained.
The positive dynamics in fermented beverages is the result of the whitewashing of the market, Vyacheslav Mamontov, Executive director of the Association of Beer, Malt and Beverage Producers, is convinced. In particular, it is a balanced excise policy of previous years, the introduction of a register of beer producers and labeling of products, he added.
However, the dynamics in the brewing market may slow down due to a sudden unplanned increase in excise taxes this year to 30 rubles from 27 rubles in 2024, the expert warned. An increase in rates will negatively affect production volumes, lead to an increase in the cost of products on the shelf and an increase in the shadow market. Combined with the current key interest rate and the rising exchange rate, manufacturers will be forced to review their own investment plans and reduce them, he said.
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