Chilean wine exports rise 13 pct

Santiago –  Exports of fine Chilean wines increased 13 percent in value over the first two months of this year, compared to the same period in 2010, for a total of $181.8 million, the Office of Agricultural Research and Policy, or Odepa, said Monday.

By volume, these exports reached 55.6 million liters, 7.4 percent more than in January-February 2010, Odepa said.

The average price of Chilean wines with guarantee of origin and quality was $3.27 per liter during the period, or 5.1 percent more than in the same period last year.

The results were due to the prestige, high demand and reasonable prices of these vintages, Odepa director Gustavo Rojas said.

The leading markets for these wines during the period were Britain, with 15.8 percent of the total, United States (15 percent), the Netherlands (5.9 percent), Japan (5.9 percent), Canada (5.5 percent), Brazil (4.9 percent), China (4 percent), Russia (3.9 percent), Germany (3.4 percent) and Denmark (3.3 percent).