Despite 2018 being a challenging year for the wine industry, with a low-yielding harvest owing to the regional drought, the Wines of South Africa (WoSA) Export Report has found positive growth in the overall value of exports.
The 4% increase in the value of exports to R9.06-billion reflected the positive sentiments towards South African wine in international markets, although there was a 6% decrease in export volumes to 420-million litres.
WoSA on Tuesday said the export value figure fits into the association’s strategy for an increased value focus within packaged and bulk wine sales, while also having a direct correlation to dwindling wine stocks, following the lost harvest yield since 2005 towards the latter part of 2018.
The value of packaged wine had increased by 3% and the value of bulk wine by 7%.
The UK remained South Africa’s top export market, realising a total value of R1.8-billion of exports, followed by Germany, at R1.3-billion, and the Netherlands, at R693-million.
Exports into Africa have grown by 73% in Kenya, 35% in Tanzania and 33% in Zambia.