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SA WINE INDUSTRY OPTIMISTIC, SAYS WOSA
Following a few very tough years, the South African wine industry is being buoyed by a new sense of optimism on the back of record export levels, the likelihood of one of the best harvests this year, the penetration of new markets and growing praise from some of the wine world's most influential opinion formers.
Su Birch, CEO of Wines of South Africa (WOSA), confirmed that exports for 2012 had reached 417 million litres, 10 million litres more than the previous record of 407 million litres achieved in 2008 and a 17% increase on volumes in 2011. "The record levels are the result of a more favourable currency, as well as the global shortage of wines, stemming from a significant drop in the recent harvests of competitor wine-producing nations in Europe, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand.
"At this stage, all indications are that this year's local crop could be the third biggest in recorded history. This is assuming that good weather conditions continue, there is a speedy and peaceful resolution to the farmworker strikes and harvests come in on time. The anticipated crop size is despite a decrease in total plantings, thanks to one of the best winter seasons in the Western Cape for many years."
SA Wine Industry & Information Systems (SAWIS) has anticipated that the 2013 wine grape crop should amount to 1 384 357 tons.
Birch said that while bulk (i.e. non-packaged) exports accounted for 59% of volumes in 2012, this was in line with a growing global trend. She explained that over the past decade, bulk wine exports from the major New World wine-producing countries had risen from around 20% to over half of wine volumes traded, against the background of protracted recessionary market conditions.
"The reality we face also confronts Australia, Chile, Argentina and even New Zealand."
She said while packaged wines generally offered higher returns, local producers had been forced to accept that to compete globally, they had to provide what the mainstream markets wanted. "Obviously we would prefer the accent to be on packaged wines, from a reputational perspective for Brand South Africa, in terms of job retention in the packaging industry and also to maintain sustainable profit margins for producers. We are therefore greatly encouraged by the recent growth of packaged exports to North America, Japan, China, as well as several increasingly affluent African nations, all to regions where we have been increasing our marketing investment."
She said the industry had also been buoyed by the growing confidence in South Africa as a top wine-producing country amongst high-profile international critics, whose opinion carried great weight in the global wine business fraternity as well as with consumers. "Over the past few weeks we have had praise from the likes of Neal Martin, who reviews for Robert E Parker's world-famous The Wine Advocate and who has singled out South Africa as currently the most exciting New World wine country, as well as from Stephen Tanzer of the International Wine Cellar, the UK's Oz Clarke, Tim Atkin MW and Sarah Ahmed and Germany's Eckhard Supp."
Birch said that while the industry regretted the current labour unrest in the Western Cape, huge strides were being made to ensure decent working conditions on all wine-producing farms. "The local Fairtrade office has confirmed that South Africa now has the highest number of Fairtrade-accredited wineries worldwide, with 65% of Fairtrade wines sold globally coming from our country."
At the same time, there was steadily growing support for the Wine and Agricultural Industry Ethical Trade Association (WIETA), with increasing numbers of producers subscribing to its code of good conduct, she added. This was particularly after the international market reacted so positively to last year's launch of the WIETA ethical seal, a world-first that provides a guarantee of fair labour practices.
"WIETA accreditation for rigorously audited fair labour conditions has accelerated since last year and with the increase in producer and worker training sessions scheduled, prior to auditing sessions, we expect many more labels to qualify during this year."
Some of the country's biggest producers have already earned WIETA accreditation for their labels, including Distell, Spier, Fairview and Robertson Winery.
DATE JANUARY 14, 2013
ISSUED BY DKC (DE KOCK COMMUNICATIONS)
ON BEHALF OF WOSA
QUERIES
SU BIRCH, CEO, WOSA (021) 8833860, 082 563 0677
TESSA DE KOCK/MARLISE POTGIETER, DKC (021) 422 2690, 082 579 2358
WOSA SÊ WYNBEDRYF IS OPTIMISTIES
Ná 'n klompie baie moeilike jare vir Suid-Afrika se wynbedryf is daar nou groter optimisme danksy uitvoere op rekordvlakke, die waarskynlikheid vanjaar van een van die beste oeste ooit die betreding van nuwe markte, en toenemende lof van sommige van die wêreld se invloedrykste meningvormers.
Su Birch, die uitvoerende hoof van Wines of South Africa (WOSA), het gesê uitvoere het in 2012 417 miljoen liter beloop. Dit is 10 miljoen liter meer as die rekord van 407 miljoen liter wat in 2008 opgestel is, en is 17% meer as in 2011. "Dié rekordvlakke is die gevolg van gunstiger wisselkoerse asook wêreldwye wyntekorte weens beduidend kleiner oeste in mededingende wynproduserende lande in Europa, Latyns-Amerika, Australië en Nieu-Seeland.
"In dié stadium dui alles daarop dat vanjaar se oes op twee na die grootse nog sal wees, mits goeie weersomstandighede voortduur, die plaaswerkerstakings gou en vreedsaam opgelos word, en oeste betyds ingesamel word. Die groter oes is ondanks 'n afname in totale aanplantings. Ons het een van die beste winterseisoene in die Wes-Kaap in baie jare daarvoor te danke."
SA Wine Industry & Information Systems (SAWIS) verwag die wyndruifoes vir 2013 sal 1 384 357 ton beloop.
Birch het gesê grootmaatuitvoere (m.a.w. sonder verpakking) het 59% van die volumes vir 2012 beloop. Dit strook egter met 'n al sterker globale neiging. Sy het daarop gewys dat grootmaat-wynuitvoere van die grootste wynproduserende lande van die Nuwe Wêreld die afgelope dekade van sowat 20% na meer as die helfte van die verhandelde wynvolumes toegeneem het. Dit het teen die agtergrond van jare van resessie in die mark geskied.
"Die werklikheid wat ons in die gesig staar, geld ook vir Australië, Chili, Argentinië en selfs Nieu-Seeland."
Sy het gesê verpakte wyn bied meestal hoër opbrengste, maar plaaslike produsente moes eenvoudig aanvaar dat hulle net kan meeding as hulle die hoofstroommarkte gee wat hulle verlang. "Ons sal uiteraard verkies dat die hoofklem op verpakte wyn moet wees Dit steun Suid-Afrika as handelsmerk, sorg dat werkgeleenthede in die verpakkingsbedryf behoue bly, en hou 'n volhoubare winsmarge vir produsente in stand. Onlangse groei in die uitvoer van verpakte produkte na Noord-Amerika, Japan, China en verskeie al hoe meer welvarende Afrika-lande is bemoedigend. Dit is markte waarin ons al groter beleggings maak."
Birch het gesê die toenemende vertroue deur van die voorste internasionale wynkenners in Suid-Afrika as 'n top- wynproduserende land gee ook ? hupstoot aan die plaaslike bedryf. "Hul menings dra aansienlike gewig by die lede van die globale wynbedryf asook by verbruikers.
"Die laaste paar weke is hoë lof uitgespreek deur mense soos Neil Martin, wat vir Robert E. Parker se wêreldbekende The Wine Advocate resensies skryf, Stephen Tanzer van International Wine Cellar, asook deur Oz Clarke, Tim Atkin WM en Sarah Ahmed, al drie van die VK, en Eckhard Supp van Duitsland. Neil Martin het Suid-Afrika uitgesonder as tans die opwindendste Nuwe Wêreld-wynland."
Sy het gesê hoewel die bedryf oor die huidige arbeidsonrus in die Wes-Kaap ontsteld is, word geweldig baie vordering gemaak om ordentlike werksomstandighede op alle wynproduserende plase te bewerkstellig. "Suid-Afrika het tans die grootste aantal wynmakerye met Fairtrade-akkreditering ter wêreld. Die plaaslike kantoor van die organisasie het bevestig dat sowat 65% van alle Fairtrade-wyn wat globaal verkoop word, van hier kom."
Terselfdertyd is daar bestendige en toenemende steun vir die Vereniging vir Etiese Handel in die Wyn- en Landboubedryf (WIETA). Al meer produsente ondersteun WIETA se gedragskode, het sy gesê. Dit het toegeneem nadat die internasionale mark positief gereageer het op die bekendstelling verlede jaar van WIETA se etiese seël. Dit was die eerste keer ter wêreld dat billike arbeidspraktyke gewaarborg word.
"WIETA-akkreditering danksy billike arbeidstoestande wat streng geouditeer word, het van verlede jaar af vinnig toegeneem. Al meer opleidingsessies vir produsente en werkers word voor ouditeringsessies beplan, en ons verwag dat meer etikette vanjaar vir die seël gaan kwalifiseer."
Sommige van die grootste produsente in die land het reeds WIETA-akkreditering vir hul etikette behaal, onder meer Distell, Spier, Fairview en Robertson-wynmakery.
DATUM 14 JANUARIE 2013
UITGEREIK DEUR DKC (DE KOCK KOMMUNIKASIE)
NAMENS WOSA
NAVRAE
SU BIRCH, UITVOERENDE HOOF, WOSA (021) 883-3860 of (082) 563-0677
TESSA DE KOCK/MARLISE POTGIETER, DKC (021) 422-2690 of (082) 579-2358