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Austria wine exports hit record high

Published:  13 March, 2020

Austria’s wine industry posted record export growth figures in 2019 by both value and volume.

Sales rose 9% to hit €185.4m, while volumes were up 20.5% to 63.6 million litres, reflecting the exceptional volumes of the 2018 harvest, which at 2.75 million hectolitres was some 15% above than the fifteen-year average.

The average price per litre fell by €0.30 year-on-year to €2.92, reflecting the large volumes of Austrian wine sold at entry-level prices within the EU, and in the German market in particular.

Germany is Austria’s primary export market by value with a 47% share. Switzerland and Liechtenstein take 11% and the US 9%. The UK is Austria’s sixth most important export market, at just under 3%.

Outside the EU, however, the average price ticked up from € 5.46 to €5.55.

Chris Yorke, MD of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, said: “The 2018 vintage gave Austria’s winegrowers the opportunity to serve new markets and open new market segments. “We are, of course, extremely pleased that this has been achieved and that the level of value in quality-oriented markets has been increased.”

Exports grew across all of Austria’s key international markets, with high growth in newer markets such as China and Japan, where sales were up 87% and 13% respectively, and solid growth in more mature markets. Exports were up 4% to Germany and 15% to the US.

The number of countries to which Austria exports wine has grown from 64 to 102 in a decade.

“For many years the AWMB’s export strategy has been based on placing Austrian wine in a great number of international markets,” Yorke said.

“This enables us to absorb fluctuations in any individual markets more effectively, and to ensure sustainable export growth overall.”



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