Australian wine exports remain resilient

Image: Dea Andrea/Scop.io

Australian wine exports remained resilient over the 12 months to March 2021 despite the negative impact of high Chinese tariffs.

Exports declined by 4% in value to $2.77 billion in the 12 months compared with the previous year, stats in Wine Australia’s latest Export Report released today.

Export volume declined by 1% to 724 million litres (80 million 9-litre case equivalents) while the average price per litre for wine exports declined by 3%.

Wine Australia chief executive Officer Andreas Clark said the decline in exports was due principally to a steep decline in exports to mainland China as well as the cumulative effects of three consecutive lower vintages in Australia, leading to less volume available to export.

"Notwithstanding the impact of China’s tariffs, we were still looking at a potential downturn in exports over this period simply due to the supply situation," Clark said.

He said exports to China for the December 2020 to March 2021 period were just $12 million compared to $325 million in the comparable period a year ago.

"As the tariffs apply to product in bottles under two litres, the decline in exports to China was mainly in bottled exports," he said.

Clark said on a more positive note there had been significant growth in exports to Europe (including the UK), which was up 23% to $710 million, the highest value in a decade.

‘There was also growth to North America, up 5% to $628 million, and Oceania, up 7% to $112 million.’

The top five markets by value were: China, UK, US, Canada, Hong Kong.