China-Australia relations: tariffs drive ‘exceptionally challenging’ environment for Australian wine exporters
- Australian wine exports decreased by 26 per cent in value to A$2.05 billion (US$1.5 billion) and 13 per cent in volume to 628 million litres in the year ended March
- Exports by value, excluding mainland China, were strong at A$129 million, but did not come close to offsetting the loss of A$844 million in the world’s No 2 economy
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Challenging market conditions continue to impact Australian wine exporters due to high tariffs imposed by China, according to a report released on Wednesday.
Australian wine exports decreased by 26 per cent in value to A$2.05 billion (US$1.5 billion) and 13 per cent in volume to 628 million litres in the year ended March, figures released by Wine Australia showed.
Exports, excluding mainland China, declined by 3 per cent in volume but increased by 7 per cent in value to A$2.03 billion, which was the highest since 2010, the government statutory body said.
“While the increase in value excluding mainland China was strong at A$129 million, it did not come close to offsetting the decline in value to mainland China with a loss of A$844 million,” said Rachel Triggs, Wine Australia’s general manager of corporate affairs and regulation.
Over the past 15 months, Australian wine exporters have had to navigate through an exceptionally challenging operating environment
“Over the past 15 months, Australian wine exporters have had to navigate through an exceptionally challenging operating environment, largely led by the imposition of high deposit tariffs on bottled Australian wine imported to mainland China, the continuing impact of the global freight crisis, and a counter-swing in some markets after Covid-19 related stockpiling in 2020,” Triggs said.