Russian winemakers want to raise import duties on wine to 200%

The Russian Association of Grape Growers and Winemakers has proposed raising tariffs on wine from so-called unfriendly countries from 25% to 200%. 

This was announced by the association’s executive director, Pyotr Efremov, at the Russian Winemaking Forum.

 In 2025, imports of foreign wine into Russia fell by 32%, while the share of Russian still wines in retail sales reached 60%.

At the same time, representatives of the trade and wine industry warn that a sharp increase in tariffs could lead to higher wine prices, a reduced product range, and a rise in gray-market imports. Some market participants believe that current tariffs and increased excise taxes are already sufficient to support local producers.

In Russia, there is a trend toward staff reductions in various sectors, including IT, healthcare, logistics, manufacturing, retail, consulting, and other business services.

The Russian Ministry of Finance forecasts a sharp increase in regional budget deficits to $21 billion.