Austria's wine industry recorded the highest value growth in its history in exports in 2021 with a plus of 15.7 per cent. Exports increased by 29.5 million euros to 216.8 million euros, exceeding the 200 million euro mark for the first time. The quantity of exported wines increased by 3.8 per cent to 70.2 million litres. The average value per litre of wine is thus over three euros per litre. The official figures from Statistics Austria were published today.

The increase in value was mainly driven by white bottled wines (+23 per cent), red bottled wines increased by 3.1 per cent, sparkling wines by 34 per cent. The managing director of Österreich Wein Marketing GmbH (ÖWM), Chris Yorke, emphasised in his statement that the concentration on the ten most important export markets had borne fruit. In Germany, by far the largest consumer country, the value rose by 9.6 per cent, in second-placed Switzerland by 16.1 per cent. Yorke emphasised the 23 per cent increase in the USA, the world's largest wine import market, as well as the 65 per cent increase in value in Canada. "Monopoly markets like Canada and the Scandinavian countries place a lot of emphasis on environmentally friendly products. With our high share of organic and biodynamic wines, we can score points there. And they also accept our 'Sustainable Austria' seal," said Chris Yorke.

Weinbaupräsident Johannes Schmuckenschlager said in his statement that wine "creates 75,000 jobs in Austria and a gross value added of 3.5 billion euros. Due to the stable crop yields since 2017, new markets can also be served well and there are more and more export-capable farms." Both emphasised the focus on exporting bottled wines in order to keep the value added in Austria, the importance of tourism, through which many consumers get in touch with Austrian wine for the first time, and indicated an export value of 250 million euros as the next target.

(al / Source: ÖWM; Photo: ÖWM Bernhard Schram)

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