MOSCOW, April 28 (RIA Novosti) - Russian wines will become 30% more expensive in the near future after Russia banned wine imports from neighboring Georgia and Moldova, a senior industry official said Friday.

National Alcohol Association Chairman Pavel Shapkin, who also heads the expert council on alcohol market regulation of the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, said prices for Russian wine had risen 10% since imports from the two countries were banned March 27 on health grounds.

"Over the next two months, prices for Russian wines are predicted to rise 30%," he said.

Health officials conducted a series of raids on shops in Moscow in March in an effort to weed out poor-quality wines purporting to be prized labels from Georgia and Moldova, whose relations with Russia have deteriorated over a number of issues in recent months.

Half the wine produced in Russia depends on now-banned imports of Moldovan products, which is exacerbating the problem, Shapkin said.

"Wine from Cuban producers is selling better, but there is not much of it, and it is consumed quickly," he said.

Shapkin also said Russian importers had started signing additional contracts with Bulgaria.