Portuguese wine exports expected to grow
Portuguese wine exports grew by 9.9 percent during the first six months of 2012, on figures from the same period of 2011, national wine promoters ViniPortugal said, as it was revealed that seven million euros have been set aside for promoting them abroad in 2013.
Between January and June this year the amount of Portuguese wine sent overseas was close to ten percent more than during the same period of 2013, ViniPortugal’s figures show.In total, during that period of 2013 wine exports reached €304.3 million, according to ViniPortugal’s president, Jorge Monteiro.
Yearly figures from the twelve months ending June 2012 show that export growth reached 9.4 percent, said Mr. Monteiro, who is responsible for the promotion of wines both in Portugal and abroad.
There are some numbers here that aren’t extraordinarily high, but that are good and that were maintained over a long time, which is excellent”, he explained, adding that if the year’s figures were closed off in June, the twelve months’ revenue would total €679 million, €22 million more than in 2011.
The head of ViniPortugal explained that, over the past decade the sector has witnessed a year-on-year growth of 4.5 percent in profit, which “when seen in year-on-year terms is not a lot, but it is a lot more than the economy.”
Jorge Monteiro stressed that exports to such as the Brazilian and German markets have registered two-digit growths, while China is also absorbing a “significant” amount of national wines.
The association has allocated a seven million euro budget for promoting Portuguese wines, which will be based on an existing plan that has been “tweaked”.
Of those seven million, ViniPortugal has set aside two million to boost promotions within the American market; it has a one million euro budget for Brazil, while pots of between €500,000 and €700,000 have been reserved for promotions in China, Canada and Angola.
ViniPortugal also expects to keep its seven million euro budget for 2014.
Next year will be the first time that ViniPortugal, Regional Wine Committees and the Douro and Oporto Wine Institutes will work together towards avoiding market saturation and to avoid economic overexertion.
Portuguese wines will also be featured at two of the biggest industry fairs in the world; Vinexpo in Bordeaux, and ProWein in Dusseldorf.
