New Zealand wine exports hit $156.7m in March, lifted by bottled shipments

Wine exports rose to $156.7 million in March 2021, up from $135.5 million in February, as bottled wine accounted for nearly two-thirds of the month's value despite bulk shipments comprising a substantial share of volume.

March exports climb above recent months

New Zealand exported $156.7 million of wine (HS 2204) in March 2021, representing 25.2 million litres at an average price of $6.23 per litre. The March result marked an increase on the previous two months, which recorded $138.7 million in January and $135.5 million in February.

The sector shipped to 52 destination markets during the month. Over the 12 months to March 2021, cumulative wine exports totalled $431.0 million.

Year-over-year comparisons unavailable

Year-over-year growth figures for March are not available in the current dataset. No comparative data from March 2020 has been provided for either total exports or individual destination markets, limiting analysis of the sector's performance against the corresponding period last year.

United States leads three-way split of major markets

The United States remained New Zealand's largest wine export destination in March, accounting for $50.6 million or 32.3 per cent of total value. The United Kingdom and Australia followed closely, with $33.8 million (21.6 per cent) and $33.6 million (21.5 per cent) respectively. Together, these three markets absorbed three-quarters of New Zealand's wine exports for the month.

Germany ranked fourth at $7.1 million (4.6 per cent), followed by Canada at $6.5 million (4.2 per cent). China received $3.6 million worth of shipments, representing 2.3 per cent of the total.

Ireland, France, the Netherlands and Singapore each accounted for between $1.7 million and $3.0 million in exports. The Republic of Korea and Russia both recorded $1.4 million, each claiming 0.9 per cent of export value.

No data on significant year-over-year movers among individual markets was available for March.

Bottled wine commands premium pricing

Bottled wine in containers of two litres or less, including sparkling varieties, generated $98.9 million in March, while bulk wine shipped in containers exceeding 10 litres accounted for $57.4 million—representing 36.6 per cent of total export value.

The packaging split reveals a substantial price differential. Bottled wine averaged $8.80 per litre, more than double the $4.15 per litre received for bulk shipments. This $4.65 per litre gap underscores the value premium attached to finished, packaged product ready for retail sale, compared with bulk wine destined for bottling or blending offshore.

The pricing structure reflects distinct market strategies: bottled exports target premium retail segments where New Zealand wine commands brand recognition, whilst bulk shipments serve cost-sensitive markets or supply partnerships with overseas bottlers.

Provisional data subject to revision

Figures for March 2021 are drawn from Statistics New Zealand trade data and are provisional upon initial release. Monthly export statistics are subject to revision in subsequent releases as customs documentation is finalised and late declarations are processed. Readers should note that values, volumes and destination breakdowns may be adjusted in future publications.