1329.0 - Australian Wine and Grape Industry, 2000  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 20/12/2000   
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MEDIA RELEASE

December 20, 2000
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
182/2000
Record year for wine and grapes in 2000

All the main wine industry indicators reached record levels in 1999-2000 driven by significant increases in export sales, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

This was despite unfavourable seasonal conditions in many grape growing regions which kept the increase in both grape and beverage wine production below expectations.

Records were achieved for area of vines, grapes harvested, wine production, wine exports and wine stocks.

For the first time, the harvested area of red grape varieties overtook white grape varieties which reflects the growing demand for red wine for both domestic consumption and for export.

South Australia remained the largest grape and wine producing State despite falls in production.
  • Grapegrowers harvested a record 1.3 million tonnes of grapes in 2000, an increase of 6% on last years record.
  • Record grape harvests translated into a record 824 million litres of beverage wine.
  • Wine exports in 1999-2000 were a record 285 million litres, up 32% on the previous record set in 1998-99.
  • The value of wine exported continued to increase, reaching a record high of almost $1.4 billion in 1999-2000, up 29% on 1998-99.
  • The total area of vines grown increased to 146,000 hectares, reflecting increases in every State with South Australia and New South Wales having the greatest increases.
  • Stocks of Australian produced beverage wine rose 9% to a record 1,191.8 million litres at 30 June 2000.

Further details can be found in Australian Wine and Grape Industry, 2000 (cat. no. 1329.0) available from the ABS Bookshop. A summary of the main features of this publication is available on this site.