Export sales of German wines have increased slightly. In the period July 2007 to June 2008, value sales increased by two per cent, while sales volumes decreased by one per cent.

According to figures released by the German Wine Institute (Deutsches Weininstitut - DWI) nett exports of German wines in the period July 2007 to June 2008 amounted to around 2 million hectolitres, valued at 394 million Euros. This amounts to an increase of two per cent in value sales, and a small decrease of one percent in volume sales, compared to the same period last year.

While the strong exchange value of the Euro currency was responsible for a slight decrease in exports to the USA, other markets showed excellent positive development, for example China grew by 53 per cent in value terms, Belgium (+32 per cent), Switzerland (+27 per cent) and Russia (+22 per cent). Only Japan showed a totally different development, a minus of 22 per cent. (WF)