Losses to the Georgian economy prompted by Russia’s ban on Georgian wine imports has been estimated at between 0.5 percent and one percent of the nation’s total gross domestic product (GDP) in 2006, rbc.ru reported on 22 May citing Georgian Economy Minister Irakliy Chogovadze. The minister said that it would take between three and five years to compensate for the losses. In 2006, Georgia is preparing to double its wine exports to the United States – from three million to six million bottles. Chogodadze noted that earlier Georgia sold some 90 percent of its wine production to Russia, or 55 million bottles. Chogoradze also noted that Germany and Great Britain may prove to be promising markets for his country’s wine exports. The ban on wine shipments to Russia from Moldova and Georgia has been in effect since 27 March, purportedly due to hygiene transgressions. According to Russia’s chief public health official, Gennady Onishchenko, traces of heavy metals and pesticides were found in imported Moldovan and Georgian wines. (www.rbc.ru, May 22)