Australian wine exports grow 10 percent to reach $2.82 billion

Australian wine exports increased 10 percent in value to $2.82 billion free on board (FOB) and five percent in volume to 850 million litres in 2018.

Australia is closing in on the record $3 billion in exports recorded in 2007 before troubled times hit.

China was up 18 percent in value last year to reach $1.14 billion.

America was down five percent to $425 million.

Our third-biggest market, the UK, was up 12 percent to $389 million.

“These figures demonstrate strong international demand and they highlight how Australian wine exporters have worked diligently to develop and maintain international markets,” Wine Australia CEO Andreas Clark said.

“This demand translated into growth in almost all price segments.”

Bottled wine shipments increased by seven percent in value to $2.24 billion and decreased in volume by three percent to 361 million litres (equivalent to 40 million 9-litre cases). This saw the average value of bottled wine grow by 10 percent to a record $6.20 per litre FOB.

Unpackaged wine also experienced outstanding growth, reaching record levels in value (up 27 percent to $560 million) and volume (up 12 percent to 480 million litres or 53 million 9-litre case equivalents). The average value of unpackaged wine continued to grow, increasing by 14 percent to $1.17 per litre.

Another record was the value of exports above $10 per litre, which grew by 22 percent to $895 million. The value of exports above $10 per litre FOB now surpasses the value of exports in the $2.50-4.99 per litre segment, which is historically the largest segment of exports.

Red wine continues to be the most popular wine style exported from Australia, and value increased by 12 percent to $2.14 billion in the year ended December 2018. The value of white wine exports also grew – by 10 percent to $607 million.

There was growth in Australian exports to nearly every region of the world in 2018.

“Pleasingly, exports to North America are starting to level out after being in decline for more than 12 months,” Andreas said.

The value of exports to:

• Northeast Asia grew by 19 percent to $1.23 billion
• North America declined by 0.1 percent to $636 million
• Europe grew by seven percent to $615 million
• Southeast Asia grew by three percent to $171 million
• Oceania grew by 12 percent to $105 million, and
• The Middle East grew by 36 percent to $33 million.