Wine production in occupied Crimea has fallen by nearly a quarter

From January through August 2026, still wine production in annexed Crimea fell by nearly a quarter compared to last year. The main reasons for the industry’s collapse were ongoing logistics problems, a shortage of bottles, power outages, and a fuel shortage on the peninsula.

This was reported by Krym.Realii.

Sparkling wine production fell by 38 percent. Meanwhile, in Russia as a whole, production of this product decreased by only about 15 percent on average. 

Sergey Mishenkin, founder of the Crimean winery Mancopia, complained that due to a shortage of bottles, many companies were unable to bottle their finished wine. There are also problems with delivering containers to the peninsula. Currently, shipping costs are, on average, twice as much as the cargo itself. Overall, the price of bottles has risen by 30–40%. Due to the risk of attacks on the land corridor, carriers are refusing to travel to the peninsula. 

Wine sales have also suffered due to the disrupted resort season. A poor harvest of white grape varieties in 2025, gasoline shortages, and power outages have disrupted the bottling process. 

As Intent previously reported, 1.5 million metric tons of grain are stuck in Crimea due to a lack of export opportunities. Due to high fuel costs and meager purchase prices, local farmers found themselves on the brink of bankruptcy. Transporting grain from Crimea to the Baltic Sea is too expensive and dangerous. This has created difficult conditions for local farmers.

Юлія Калабайда