As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, 2022 was a markedly challenging year for Croatian wine producers and others involved in the sector as it was marked by an increase in input prices, from raw materials to labour, problems due to disruptions in supply chains and an average crop reduction of around 10 to 15 percent due to drought.
Despite all of the aforementioned obstacles which stood in the way of those working in the field (or should I say vineyard), good wine placement was achieved due to a successful post-pandemic tourist season during the summer months and export growth.
All of this was further explained by Dragan Kovacevic, the vice-president of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce for Agriculture and Tourism. He touched on the topic at the opening of one of the most important annual events of the Croatian wine industry – the Grasevina Croatica En Primeur 2023 event, organised by the Grasevina Croatica winemakers’ association of Slavonia and Croatian Podunavlia.
Over the first ten months of last year, at least when compared to the same period back in 2021, imports decreased, and the export of Croatian-made wine, especially wines of a higher price category, quality wines and sparkling wines, grew by almost eight percent. In addition to that, he added, it should be noted that Croatian wine producers have done remarkably well, having won a large number of awards and a lot of well deserved recognition at the most prestigious international competitions despite any and all difficulties faced.
Sandra Zokic, the director of the Directorate for Agricultural Land, Plant Production and Market of the Ministry of Agriculture, emphasised the importance of the National Assistance Programme for the Wine Sector, through which Croatian wine producers and winegrowers were granted support in a financial package worth almost 630 million kuna for 526 projects carrying a total value of 1.3 billion kuna.
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