New Zealand wine exports climb 11% in value despite 7% volume drop as April shipments reach $126.7m

New Zealand wine exporters achieved a stronger average price per litre in April 2022, lifting total export value to $126.7 million despite shipping less volume as demand shifted towards bottled wines and away from bulk.

April exports rise on price strength

New Zealand exported $126.7 million of wine in April 2022, an 11.0% increase on the same month last year. However, export volume fell 6.8% to 13.5 million litres, pushing the average price to $9.41 per litre as the product mix shifted towards higher-value offerings.

The month's result brought the rolling 12-month total to April 2022 to $1,932.2 million, up 254.4% year-over-year. New Zealand shipped wine to 56 destination markets during the month.

United States extends lead as top market

The United States remained New Zealand's dominant wine export destination, taking $48.1 million of April's shipments—a 38.0% share of total value—and growing 17.4% year-over-year.

The United Kingdom held second place with $24.7 million (19.5% share), though this represented a 10.7% decline on April 2021. Australia secured third position at $17.8 million (14.0% share), surging 50.3% year-over-year, while Canada claimed fourth spot with $14.3 million (11.3% share) after remarkable 88.0% growth.

Strong gains in North America and Europe offset Asian weakness

Several markets recorded exceptional growth from April 2021 levels. Denmark jumped 119.8% to reach $1.0 million, while Ireland climbed 106.9% to $3.4 million. Canada's 88.0% surge to $14.3 million reflected strengthening North American demand, complemented by Australia's 50.3% rise to $17.8 million and the Netherlands' 43.0% increase to $2.7 million.

Conversely, several markets contracted sharply. France fell 77.2% to $0.7 million, Germany dropped 62.1% to $0.9 million, and Hong Kong declined 54.0% to $1.0 million. The Republic of Korea retreated 34.5% to $1.7 million and Singapore fell 31.1% to $1.0 million.

Bottled wine surges as bulk collapses

The packaging mix shifted dramatically in April 2022. Bottled wine in containers of two litres or less—including sparkling—accounted for $122.1 million, up 26.6% year-over-year. Bulk wine shipped in containers larger than 10 litres totalled just $4.4 million, representing 3.5% of total export value and down 72.9% from April 2021.

The price differential between formats was substantial: bottled wine averaged $9.82 per litre compared to $4.47 per litre for bulk. The collapse in bulk shipments and strong growth in bottled exports suggests exporters focused on premium product categories where margins are significantly higher, reflecting either strategic positioning or responses to international market conditions favouring bottled New Zealand wine.

Note on data

Statistics New Zealand's export figures for the most recent month are initially provisional and subject to revision in subsequent releases as further customs documentation is processed.