In the first nine months of 2015, wine imports in China saw a further leap forward. According to Chinese customs data, compared to the same period of the previous year, bottled wine imports grew by 38.7% in volume (nearly 298 million liters), and by 34.7% in value, reaching 1.4 billion dollars.
Italy fifth in the ranking
Italy is the fifth largest supplier of bottled wine to China: compared to 2014, sales grew by 23.20% in volume but only 4.74% in value, due to a 15% cut in the average price, down to 3.67 dollars. This effort is still insufficient to compete with both more expensive wines (French and especially Australian) and cheaper ones (Spain and Chile).
The Australian anomaly
The ranking of suppliers still sees France at the top, challenged by Australia. Australian producers appear to already benefit from the free trade agreement (ChAFTA) signed with China in May 2015. They record an increase in sales of 58.7% in volume and 83.6% in value, although their prices are decidedly above average. Prospects are very likely to improve, considering that the ChAFTA agreement provides for a gradual reduction of Chinese tariffs on Australian wines, up to their elimination in2019.
Until the third quarter of 2015, Australian wine accounted for 14% of all wine imported into China, but 23% of the value of such imports. What characterizes it is mainly the price, the highest charged by wine suppliers to China, averaging 7.71 dollars per liter, with an increase of 15.71% compared to the previous year.
The 2015 ranking of main suppliers
In the ranking of countries exporting wine to China, France continues to dominate, accounting for 43% of volumes and 45% of value. The average price is 4.91 dollars per liter, 1.56% less compared to 2014.
After France and Australia, Spain appears in third place among the major wine suppliers to China, marking a volume increase of 53.84%, but accompanied by a sharp reduction in the average price, which fell to 2.07 dollars per liter, 27.76% less compared to 2014.
Chile ranks fourth in the ranking, with a volume increase of 38.34% and a price cut to 3.51 dollars per liter, 1.77% less than in 2014.
Sparkling wine loses ground, low-cost bulk wine grows
Despite good growth in bottled wine, Chinese imports of sparkling wine fall by 7.2% in volume (around 10 million liters) and by 27.5% in value, with an average price reduction of 21.9%, reaching 4.77 dollars per liter.
On the other hand, the flow of bulk wine doubles, with just under 100 million liters marking a 100% volume increase and 50.91% in value: the price has indeed fallen by a quarter, to 0.70 dollars per liter.
