Wine exports down 2pc

The Australian wine industry has been hit by the global economic downturn, with exports falling 2 per cent in the year ending to March.

The latest data from the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation shows the value of Australian wine fell 13 per cent in the past year, to $3.37 a litre.

Bottled red wine still makes up the majority of the export market, representing 43 per cent of all wine shipped overseas.

However, the overall volume of bottled wine dipped 12 per cent since March 2008.

The news is not all bad, bulk wine shipments grew more than 30 per cent since the same time last year.

The corporation says the United States, Japan, China and Hong Kong markets have been the most promising.