HARRISBURG — Wegmans Food Markets has pulled out of an agreement with the state Liquor Control Board to sell wine through automated kiosks at 10 of the company’s Pennsylvania stores, citing problems with the machines and too many customer complaints.

The decision announced by the agency Thursday deals a blow to the wine kiosk system, leaving 22 in operation nearly a year after the first pilot kiosks began vending bottles in Pennsylvania.

It also comes amid a growing discussion in Harrisburg over proposals to privatize the state liquor store system. No bill has been introduced, but Republican Gov. Tom Corbett, who is awaiting the results of a study on the topic, is a strong proponent of the idea.

In a letter to the Liquor Control Board, Wegmans official Craig Hoffman said that operational issues and malfunctions took the machines out of service too often, including during busy holiday seasons, and that sales were significantly lower than expected.

The largest factor in the decision, Hoffman said in the letter dated Tuesday, was a high volume of customer complaints. The company said the machines, which were installed in October, could be removed within a month.

Wegmans spokeswoman Valerie Fox said customers found the choices too limited and wanted more personalized service.

Liquor Control Board spokeswoman Stacey Witalec said the agency will focus its attention on adding kiosks to other sites, including 24 potential locations at Walmart stores.

“Certainly, we would have liked to see the convenience the kiosk brought to our customers continue in these locations,” Witalec said.