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Delivering its annual supply and demand assessment yesterday,
the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation said the
national grape harvest was expected to be 1.22 million
tonnes in 2008, down from 1.47 million tonnes in 2007
due to the continued draught conditions prevailing in
Australia
A further fall to 1.16 million tonnes has been forecast
for 2009.
"The opportunity out of the predicted harvest is
for the Australian wine sector to shift its focus from
volume to value," said Sam Trolley, CEO of Australian
Wine and Brandy Corporation. 'The currency of our success
must be measured by value and not volume alone,' he
added
Increasing the average dollar per liter price is ambitious,
but there are compelling reasons for people to choose
Australian wine, he insists.
Trolley added that two successive drought-affected seasons
and the likelihood of a reduced vintage in 2009 would
constrain the wine available for export. It would be
the choice of individual producers choice whether to
export or sell in the domestic market.
Wine production for the year to the end of October came
in at 1.02 billion liters, with domestic sales accounting
for 476 million liters.
Export sales of about 800 million liters were worth
$3 billion.
Resource:
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au
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