German wine export

According to the German Wine Institute (DWI) export sales decreased slightly by two percent to a total of 174 million Euro in the first six months of this year. The export volume fell by 15 percent to 766,000 hectoliters.

“The volume losses can be mainly attributed to the reduced wine supply in the current year. The export markets could not be fully provided with our wines as the previous year’s harvest yield had dropped by 23 percent. The decline mainly occurred in the lower price segments which has in the end led to a comparatively minor loss in revenue”, Monika Reule, managing director of the DWI, explained the developments in the DWI export forum in Oppenheim. In addition, wine exports to the individual export markets have developed very differently. Despite the decreasing supply, in the first half of 2011, some considerable increases in value were achieved in the United States, the Netherlands, Norway, Canada, China, Finland and Denmark, Monika Reule said.

In the United States, Germany’s most important export market, turnover increased by five percent to 52 million Euro. Thus, nearly a third of the total export value is generated in the United States alone. In Great Britain, with a loss of 26 percent, the decline in sales in the lower price segment was especially significant. Exports diminished in value by 16 percent. With an export value of 19 million Euro, Great Britain is the second most important purchaser of German wines abroad, closely followed by the Netherlands where German exporters achieved an increase in value of three percent to 18 million Euro despite a decrease in volume.

In Norway, German wines have been the market leader in the white wine segment for several years. The positive trend has continued in the first half of 2011 with an increase in turnover of ten percent at a comparatively high average price of 3.55 €/litre.

Wine exports to China, with a turnover profit of 87 percent, recorded the strongest growth in percentage terms this year. They remain at a relatively low level of a total of 20,000 hectolitres to the value of six million Euro.

Export – Import German Wine Market
German Grape Varieties