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Australian wine exports up 10%

Published:  22 January, 2019

Exports of Australian wine increased 10% last year to $2.82 billion, according to Wine Australia.

Export volumes rose 5% to 850 million litres – the equivalent of 94 million 9-litre cases - in the same 12 months (to 31 December 2018).

The positive figures demonstrated “strong international demand” and highlighted how Australian wine exporters had “worked diligently to develop and maintain international markets”, said Andreas Clark, chief executive officer, Wine Australia.

The demand translated into growth in almost all price segments, he added.

Bottled wine shipments increased by 7% in value to $2.24 billion and decreased in volume by 3% to 361 million litres (equivalent to 40 million 9-litre cases).

This saw the average value of bottled wine grow by 10% to a record $6.20 per litre FOB.

At the same time, unpackaged wine also experienced “outstanding growth”, reaching record levels in value - up 27% to $560 million on volume up 12% to 480 million litres, or 53 million 9-litre case equivalents, according to the trade organization.

The average value of unpackaged wine continued to grow, increasing by 14% to $1.17 per litre.

Another record was the value of exports above $10 per litre, which grew by 22% to $895 million, with the value of exports above $10 per litre FOB now surpassing the value of exports in the $2.50–4.99 per litre segment - historically the largest segment of exports.

Red wine continues to be the most popular wine style exported from Australia, and value increased by 12% to $2.14 billion.

China continues to be Australia’s biggest export market with AU$1.14 billion worth of wines exported - an increase of 18%.

Having been in decline for more than 12 months, exports to North America started to level out.

Australia’s second biggest market by value, the US, imported AU$425 million worth of wines, down 5%, while Canada, its fourth biggest export market grew 12% to AU$210 million.

The UK still remains Australia’s biggest market by volume with 27.3 million cases shipped, up 10%, followed by China (19.1 million cases) and the US (17.9 million cases).

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