Chile and South Africa wine exports surge

By Gemma McKenna

Published: 16 April, 2014

Chile and South Africa saw the volume of their wine exports surge ahead last year, while Australia and Argentina faced more challenges, according to Rabobank's latest report.

Chile and South Africa saw the volume of their wine exports surge ahead last year, while Australia faced more challenges, according to Rabobank's latest report.

The bank's Wine Quarterly report for Q2 2014 also showed skyrocketing Prosecco sales to the UK from Italy. While overall Italian wine exports sank 4.4% by volume in 2013, the sparkling wine boom continued apace, with a 40.2% increase in exports of Italian sparkling wine to the UK. Overall Italian exports were up 7.3% by value.

Taking a closer look elsewhere in Europe at Spain, export values rose 6.5% to over €2.6 billion due to a 19.5% average increase in prices, which drove a volume decline of 10.9%. Average prices began to decline in the second half of the year, which saw volumes pick up slightly. So far this has continued into 2014, with falling prices contributing to a 20% increase in sales by volume in January. Given Spain's huge 2013 harvest, Rabobank is anticipating continued increases in volume growth throughout this year.

The report showed changing trends as bulk wine continues to build its market share, now accounting for half of exports from New World countries.

Australian wine exports fell 6% in volume and 5% in value in 2013 versus the prior year. Rabobank predicted that New Zealand wine export growth "continues to pick up and is set to do so for some time to come". Export value growth outpaced volumes for the second year in a row, up 3.6% and 0.4% respectively. "While momentum is on their side, exporters will be pressed to repeat this achievement again in 2014 as the recent appreciation in the New Zealand dollar and the larger 2014 harvest look set to test their mettle," the report states.

rabobank

Argentina faced a tough time in 2013, as inflation made only exports of higher priced wines viable. Average price increases meant volumes fell 13.8%, although export value was only down 4.9%. Most of the volume decline was in bottom end wines, which declined by 20%, while varietal wines fell 11%. The outlook is brighter for the year ahead, according to the report, after the peso was dramatically devalued in January.

Chilean wine export volumes grew 17.4% in 2013, led by a 49.4% increase in bulk wine exports and a 1% decline in bottled wine exports. Since growth mostly came from he lower value bulk wine side of the market, total export value grew only 4.9%.

In the US, wine exports grew 6% by volume and 11% by value, with finished wine showing stronger growth than bulk wine volumes.

South Africa saw its exports grow 26%, led by a 37.6% improvement in bulk wine sales and 8.9% rise in bottled wine sales.

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