Ministry: Czech wine production up at record 820,000 hl in 2008

By 2009-5-11 17:18:47

Czech wine production last year almost doubled to a record of 820,000 hectolitres, mainly thanks to new vineyards, according to a situation report released by the Agriculture Ministry on Tuesday.

This year's wine production could grow up to 840,000 hectolitres, according to estimates of the Winer Growers Association.

Out of last year's output, 508,000 hectolitres were white wine and 312,000 hectolitres red wine.

Thanks to state support, the vineyard area has increased from 11,236 hectares in 2000 to around 17,000 hectares.

Total wine consumption last year dropped slightly to 1.828 million hectolitres from 1.888 million hectolitres the year before.

Wine imports totalled 1.585 million hectolitres, up 114,000 hectolitres year-on-year.

Exports of Czech wine more than doubled to 177,000 hectolitres. The biggest marketplace was Slovakia, to which nearly 43,000 hectolitres of Czech wine were exported.

Wine consumption in the Czech Republic has been growing in the past years. While in 1993 the average consumption was 12 litres per head annually, last year it was around 18 litres. The Czech Republic, however, still lags behind the EU annual average of 25-32 litres per capita.

Retailers confirm the growing demand for wine. "Since 1997 sales of wine have increased by 43 percent," Eva Karasova of Tesco Stores CR said.

The share of imported wine is growing as well. Since the 1990S, when it stood at 10 percent, it has risen six times, Karasova added.

Czech wine production in individual seasons (in thousands of hectolitres:
2002/03 495
2003/04 560
2004/05 570
2005/06 438
2006/07 434
2007/08 820
2008/09 840*
Source: Agriculture Ministry, * - estimate of Czech Wine Growers Association

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