Packaged wine sales saw a 4% increase in value to $430m. Credit: M-Production/Shutterstock.

South Africa has reported a rise in wine export revenues in 2024 amid improved “packaged” wine volumes.

When measured in rands, the value of South Africa’s wine exports grew 3% to R10.3bn, trade body Wines of South Africa (WoSA) said. In US dollars, export sales stood at $562m, up 4.3% against 2023.

According to WoSA, total volumes were “virtually unchanged” at 306.2m litres. In 2023, the country shipped virtually 306.3m litres of wine.

In 2023, South Africa registered a 17% slump in wine export volumes, attributed to a diminished harvest yield and competition at the cheaper end of the market.

Last year, sales of packaged wine exports grew 2.6% in rands to R7.9bn and by 3.9% in dollars to $430m. Volumes grew 5.4% to 123.4m litres.

The revenue South Africa’s wine exporters generated from bulk exports rose 4.4% in rands to R2.4bn and by 5.7% in dollars to $132m. They shipped less litres, however, with volume sales down 3.4% at 182.8m.

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Citing figures from the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), WoSA said global wine consumption had dropped by approximately 10% from 2008 to 2023.

“There is no denying that many South African producers have been knocked by the shrinking global wine market,” WoSA CEO Siobhan Thompson said. “Some wines at the higher end of the spectrum with offerings strategically tailored to their specific markets, backed by strong distribution and regular in-market visits, have flourished.”

Wine exports to the UK, South Africa’s largest market, were mixed. Total revenues were down 6% in rands and 5% in dollars on the back of declining sales of packaged wine. Bulk exports, however, grew by 5% and 7% respectively.

In terms of volume, South Africa exported 87.3m litres of wine to the UK, a year-on-year decline of 6%. Packaged wine exports fell by 10% to 25.6m litres, and bulk exports dropped by 4% to 61.7m litres.

The country saw growth in some other of its principal markets, with volumes to France, Sweden and the Netherlands also rising year on year. Volumes to Germany, South Africa’s second-largest market by volume were flat, while shipments to Belgium and Canada both fell 12%.

Sauvignon Blanc was the most exported white varietal from South Africa. Volumes increased 5% to 63.3m litres with the price per litre up 1% in rands and 3% in dollars, the data showed.

Volumes of Pinotage grew 3% to 13.6m litres, with the price per litre for those wines rising 9% and 10% in rands and dollars respectively.