Global wine consumption down almost one percent in 2008
Spanish wine exports were expected to have reached 16.5 million hl in 2008, a world market share of 19 percent, compared with 15 percent for France at 13.6 million hl, the OIV reported.
Global wine production is at relatively low levels after the surface area covered with vines decreased by some 28,000 hectares in 2008 to 7.86 million. In Europe, the amount of vineyards shrank by a record 33,000 hectares to 3.82 million.
The European Union now has less than half of the world’s vineyards, compared with 60 to 65 percent only 20 years ago.
While the world economic crisis has played a role in lowering overall demand, especially during the last quarter of 2008, consumption has increased in new consumer countries, particularly in the United States, the OIV said.
"For the first time, the U.S. domestic market surpasses the size of the domestic market in Italy," the OIV said.
Some 27.3 million hl of wine were sold in the U.S. in 2008, compared with 26 million hl in Italy and 31.8 million hl in France, according to OIV estimates.
According to a recent study by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), global wine sales are unlikely to see a major fall in demand even in times of recession, with the U.S. — the worst-hit in the crisis — projected to emerge as a major beneficiary of alcohol export.
“World demand for wine is likely to ease only marginally in 2009 as consumers shift to lower cost brands rather than significantly reducing their consumption,” the USDA report said.
Moreover, the U.S., the second-largest producer and the fourth-largest exporter of wine, may witness exports rising by 2 percent, it said.
However, exports from the EU, the largest exporter, may drop by 10 percent to 17 million hl, contributing in a major way to a 3 percent decline in overall global wine exports.
Global wine production, too, is expected to dip by 5 percent to 250 million hl in 2009, though huge stock piles will somewhat make up for low output, the USDA report pointed out.
The import of wine is expected to be flat both in the EU and the U.S., while that in Japan may slip slightly, it said. The EU’s import from the U.S., mainly bulk wine, is projected to remain firm, the USDA report forecasts.
