Agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister Senzeni Zokwana has signed a labelling protocol with leading wine-producing countries and members of the World Wine Trade Group (WWTG) which is expected to significantly boost South Africa’s trading presence in the global wine industry.
Signed in Washington on October 18, the protocol covers information related to alcohol tolerance, vintage, variety, and wine regions, and is the third such WWTG agreement that Zokwana’s department has signed in recent times. South Africa’s willingness to abide by international developments in wine trade is reflected in previous agreements signed by the country – the Mutual Acceptance Agreement of Oenological Practices and the Agreement for Requirements on Wine Labelling.
Both earlier protocols were ratified by parliament and subsequently implemented. The additional labelling protocol is yet to be presented to parliament but expectations are that there shouldn’t be any hindrances to its speedy ratification. Although seen as an informal group, the WWTG has blazed a trail for viticultural trade practices and South Africa’s protocol-friendly stance is held in high regard by fellow members Argentina, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US, according to Zokwana.
An improved and harmonised definition of these terms would contribute towards the removal of technical barriers to trade and facilitate fair competition between signatories, he added.
