Wine imports from the former Soviet republics of Georgia and Moldova were banned from sale in Russia in spring over an alleged failure to meet Russia's hygienic standards.
Vasile Tarlev said the Moldovan wine industry had been unprepared for this situation.
Tarlev said the Moldovan authorities were acting to diversify wine sales markets and that the Cabinet had set up commissions to consider sales in some countries.
The premier urged private companies to contribute more to diversification. He said the government hoped this idea would be successful and under the government's plan 5,000 hectares for grapes would appear in the country to bring the total area of vineyards to the levels registered in the 1980s.
At the same time, Tarlev said no one in Moldova questioned the importance of relations with Russia. The prime minister said the country would make every effort to improve bilateral relations, proceeding from the principles of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both states.
