Austrlian wine exports to China made easier

    Wine exports to China will be made easier through the signing of two new agreements.

    The Federal Minister for Agriculture, Tony Burke, says the memorandums of understanding will make it simpler for growers to ship wine into China.

    China is the largest Asian market for Australian wine, with exports in the year to March 2009 valued at more than $81 million.

    Mr Burke says the establishment of a single point of contact will make issues such as certification and labelling easier to address.

    He says the agreements will also lift the profile of Australian wine in Hong Kong, where exports have grown by more than 20 per cent in the past 12 months.

    Mr Burke says wine consumption is growing in Asia and the agreements will help Australia enjoy an increased share of that growth.