Italian Wine: €9 Billion Business, €2.8 Billion in Export
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Paolo De Castro, Italian Minister of Agricultural Politics |
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In 2005 the production of Italian wine reached 53 million hectoliters (about 1,400 million gallons), with total sales of €9 billion, including €2.8 billion in exports (see value in other currencies).
This was the overall view of Italian wine presented on Thursday, July 20, 2006 at the general meeting of vintners and winemakers, organized by the Minister of Agricultural Politics, Paolo De Castro.
Italy has a unique viticultural asset, with its 300 varieties of native vines cultivated for winemaking and around 730,000 hectares of vineyards (over 1.8 million acres). France has only 40 types of grapes, Spain about 20 and Austria 15.
The production of Italian wines with the official denomination (DOC, DOCG or IGT) totals 15 million hectoliters (over 396 million gallons).
In 20 years the number of DOC, DOCG and IGT certified wines has doubled. In 1986 there were 228 whereas there are 464 today. Their impact on the overall production has more than quintupled, going from 10% to 58%.
Italy is currently the top world exporter of wine and grape juice for volume, with 18% of total production sold internationally.
In the first quarter of 2006, wines made in Italy showed a record growth of 9% in value of world exports, with a relevant success in the United States (18%), and in new emerging markets, such as Russia (20%) and China (132%).
Italy is the major wine importers to the US, with 2 million hectoliters (over 52 million gallons). The British market is doing fairly well too, absorbing over 1.5 million metric tonnes of Italian wine. The Canadian market has grown significantly, up a solid 20.9%, as has Denmark, with a 23% increase. Italian wine exports are doing well in Spain, Australia and New Zealand as well.
| Source: AGI |
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- Italian Wine Export Up 9% – June 16, 2006
- Italy Back at the Top as US Wine Importer - May 10, 2006
- Grandi Marchi Forecasts a 4% Drop in 2005/2006 Italian Wine Production – May 5, 2006
- Italian Wine Import Up 50.7% in Russia – May 4, 2006
- Italian Wines Topped by Australians in the US – April 25, 2006
- US Import of Nobile di Montepulciano Up 17% – March 22, 2006
- First Comments On US Imports of Italian Wines in 2005 – February 15, 2006
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