Makhachkala, March 3, 2013. On March 1, in Makhachkala, the Legislative Assembly Committee on Agricultural Policy hosted a parliamentary hearing, where the issue "On measures for the development of wine growing industry in the Republic of Dagestan” was considered.

Opening the meeting, the chairman of the Legislative Assembly RD Khizri Shikhsaidov noted that the viticulture had always been a traditional sector of agriculture in Dagestan providing not only the republican budget with revenues but employing the local residents and improving their livelihoods.

"Given the importance of wine- producing industry as a high-intensity and profitable, which occupies an important place in the republican economy and influences much on the entire social infrastructure of all the settlements in wine regions; an adequate regulatory and legal framework for further sector development , its modernization in the current conditions and the expansion of areas under vines has been created in Dagestan. This is the most lucrative and profitable industry in the agricultural sector of the republic.

During the period of 2001 – 2012, new vineyards on the area of over 17,200 hectares were planted in Dagestan. Despite the indicated volume of planting, a significant growth of vineyard acreage has not been observed. The activity was not adequate and gave no proper results.

As for the beginning of 2013, the total area of ​​vineyards in Dagestan makes 20,600 hectares, 16 100 hectares of which are ​ bearing vineyards. The gross value production of grapes in 2012 made 59.1 thousand tons with an average yield of 37 t / ha, that is 80 thousand tons less compared to 2011" - Khizri Shikhsaidov pointed out.

The heads of municipal formations have also proposed to establish logistics centers, warehouses, due to which it would be possible to keep grapes and sell it all the year round.

Summing up the meeting, Khizri Shikhsaidov noted that the production of table grapes and innovative aspects for storage and processing of grapes displayed considerable prospects.

"For the time being, if we want to improve the current state of the industry, to increase its profitability, we will have to carry out a significant work. An important aspect of this work is the personnel training of specialists for the agricultural sector, including vegetable growers and winemakers. If there are no specialists - there will be no further development of the wine-growing industry and the entire agricultural sector. It is necessary to think seriously about it, otherwise we will have to import not only foreign products, but experts as well"- the parliament speaker concluded.