China's wine export will saw rapid progress in 2010

China's wine export is likely to get a boost as global consumers tend to favor less expensive wine products amid the global economic downturn, the official Xinhua News Agency reported, citing Chinese wine expert as saying.

The wine industry is a rising industry in China with steadily rising demand from home and abroad, said Wang Yancai, president of China Alcoholic Drinks Industry Association.

China's wine production has already surpassed Spain and Portugal combined. In the first 11 months of 2009, the country's wine production grew 21.8% year on year to 812,200 kiloliters.

However, the country's wine export is growing steadily but still very small in scale, said Wang, adding that the favorable market climate is expected to help wine export expand more rapidly.

Sales of wine in China rose 12% year on year to RMB 44 billion in 2009, according to figures released by global management consultants AT Kearney.