South African wine exports to further grow in next decade

South African wine exports reached 313 million litres in 2015 and are projected to further grow over the next decade, authorities said on Wednesday.

The South African wine industry includes 100,000 hectares, and is comprised of 3,300 producers, supporting employment of around 300,000 residents, directly and indirectly, according to a report by the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP).

"Wine exports are up from 122 million litres in 2000 to 313 million litres last year. We are exporting to markets across the world. The bulk of our exports are destined for the European Union and the United Kingdom. Exports to key markets in the rest of Africa, the United States of America and China are growing," said Alan Winde, Minister of Economic Opportunities in the Western Cape Province, the major producer of wine in South Africa.

The South African wine industry has formulated the Wine Industry Strategic Exercise which sets clear goals for the sector. This includes increasing jobs to 375,000 by 2025 and growing the value of wine tourism.

"As part of our Project Khulisa growth strategy, we have set the goal of boosting wine exports to strategic markets and the latest trends are excellent indicators," Winde said.

Removing tariffs in key markets would be a key contributor to increased wine exports, the BFAP report said.

The industry is also focused on shifting export product from bulk to packaged, and on boosting value through a focus on quality and targeted marketing drives. Endit