La Rioja to invest €8.7 million to market wines in non-EU countries

In total, 41 programs have been launched with the US, Mexico, Switzerland, China and Japan as their main targets

09/01/2010

Iñigo Nagore, during the non-EU country marketing campaign launch

La Rioja’s Secretary for the Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development Agency, Iñigo Nagore, announced last Thursday that his region boasts 41 marketing programs in countries outside of the wine CMO, representing a total inversion of €8.7 million. The programs launched aim to increase wine sales on markets within non-European Union countries via various activities such as publicity campaigns, product launches, conferences, tasting events, fairs, websites, and market surveys.

The La Rioja regional agency received projects from 24 Riojan bodegas and one from the Regulating Council, all with the aim of increasing sales primarily in countries such as the US, Mexico, Switzerland, China and Japan. According to the head of the Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development Agency, La Rioja exports 30 percent of its wine production yet only 7.5 percent is targeted at non-European Union countries, a figure which the region hopes to boost with this type of marketing activity.

Despite the good results as regards the number of applications, an improvement on last year’s 32 proposals and the investment of €8.2 million, Iñigo Nagore criticised the fact that funding from the wine CMO does not benefit long-term projects, as funding is only guaranteed for one year. He also criticised the smaller amount of funding received by Spain for this type of program (€178 million) in comparison to other wine producing countries such as France, which received €260 million, and Italy, (€270 million).

During the launch of the non-EU countries wine marketing project, La Rioja’s Secretary for Agriculture took the opportunity to ask the Rioja wine sector to act responsibly with a view to the coming harvest and regarding payment to viticulturists, which ought not to be affected by the current economic situation.