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Viticulture the fastest growing agricultural sector in the UK. This was announced by the British government. According to the annual report of the industry association Wine GB, there are currently 943 vineyards in the UK with a cultivated area of 3,928 hectares. This means that the area under vine has increased by 74 per cent in the five years since 2017. At the same time, production rose from 5.3 to 12.2 million bottles in the same period - an increase of 130 per cent. The share of sparkling wines remained constant at 68 percent.
The statistics show 3,855 hectares for England, 70.3 ha for Wales and 1.9 ha for Scotland. Kent has 26 per cent of the vineyard area with 1,033 ha, West Sussex 570 ha, East Sussex 493 ha, Hampshire 380 ha and Essex 325 ha. The most planted variety is Chardonnay with 31 percent, followed by Pinot Noir (29 percent), Pinot Meunier (9 percent), Bacchus (8 percent) and Seyval (3 percent).
The most important sales channel is the retail trade with 41 percent, followed by direct sales with 30 percent. The share of direct sales rose to 57 percent during the pandemic. The restaurant trade sells 22 percent of British wines, 7 percent are exported.
Wine tourism increased by 17 per cent in 2022 compared to the previous year and accounts for 24 per cent of revenue. 2,300 people are employed full-time in viticulture, 8,300 part-time or seasonally.
A Wine GB survey of its members found that by 2032 the area under vines is expected to grow further to 7,600 ha and production to up to 29 million bottles.
(al / source: decanter)