South African Wine Exports Down by 23%

South African wine exports were down 23% for the year to December 2019, a decrease of 100m litres on 2018. Writing on Netwerk 24, Nellie Brand-Jonker says South Africa exported 319.8m litres of wine in 2019, the lowest volume of wine the country has exported in more than a decade. In 2018 wine exports dropped 6% over the previous year.

Brand-Jonker says Wines of South Africa ascribes the decrease to the ongoing drought having an effect on crops, as well as the increase in export volumes from other countries with which the Cape competes.

Exports to South Africa’s largest markets, namely Great Britain and Germany, fell by 26% and 28% respectively. The USA, seen as the potential shining star for wine exports, imported 21% less South African wine in 2019.

The biggest drop in exports was in the bulk wine sector where 175m litres were shipped in 2019, 30% down on 2018.

Exports of packaged wine fell by 13% to 144.7m litres. Here the Brits contained their thirst for packaged South African wine, importing 19% less in 2019 than the previous year.

More white than red wine was exported last year, with white exports pegged at 172.4m litres, 19% down and red slipping 21% to 119.4m litres.

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