New Zealand Winegrowers is pleased to announce the wine industry has achieved its milestone of $1 billion in exports, a year ahead of schedule. Chief executive of New Zealand Winegrowers, Philip Gregan, said the industry exported $1.01 billion of wine in the year to 31 July 2009, according to Statistics New Zealand. $1 billion in wine exports is the equivalent of five bottles per second.
“The phenomenal long-term growth of New Zealand wine exports has been based on a industry-wide commitment to world class quality, in our vineyards, in our wineries and in our marketing and sales efforts.”
A 2009 report from New Zealand Institute of Economic Research showed wine exports have grown at a compound rate of nearly 24% (23.8%) each year for the past 20 years, four times the growth rate for all goods exports. Wine exports represent 2.2% of total goods exports and the industry supports 16,500 full-time jobs. The industry contributes more than $1.5 billion to New Zealand’s GDP.
“The wine industry has grown to become an important and internationally-competitive part of the New Zealand economy. New Zealand wine still has enormous opportunity globally with strong demand from key markets, notably Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as increasingly from Asian and continental European markets. We thank all those in the industry and in New Zealand who have worked tirelessly to help build such a strong reputation for New Zealand wine locally and internationally,” Mr Gregan said. “Their ongoing commitment to New Zealand wine will be required for us to achieve further milestones in the future.”
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