RAY SMUTS DESPITE disappointing growth of only 5% in wine exports last year – double digit expansion initially was anticipated – South Africa’s sales abroad have more than doubled over the past six years. A praiseworthy achievement given problems like the strong rand, transformation and a change in the retail trade environment. Su Birch, CEO of Wines of South Africa (Wosa), representing the presentation and marketing of the country’s wines abroad, concedes export expectations were perhaps a little too optimistic considering the hurdles. With the exception of 2001 and 2002, when the market grew by 26% and 23% respectively, growth previously stood at 9%, after which it gradually increased from 10% to 12% before dropping to a single digit figure last year. Birch says it was, to a certain degree, never expected that a growth rate of 20% could continue forever as South Africa has neither the volumes nor the capital to sustain such growth.
