Australian wine exports saw moderate growth from market diversification outside of mainland China, but the progress was no match to offset the loss from its former largest export destination.

In the year ended March 2022, Australian total wine exports further dropped by 26% in value to AU$2.05 billion and 13% in volume to 628 million litres, Wine Australia’s latest report shows.

Exports excluding mainland China also shrunk by 3% in volume, but increased by 7% in value to AU$2.03 billion, the highest value since 2010. The trade body says 71 out of 112 export destinations of Australian wines saw value growth.

However, the moderate growth “did not come close to offsetting the decline in value to mainland China”, which equals AU$844 million, according to Rachel Triggs, Wine Australia’s General Manager of Corporate Affairs and Regulation.

Compared to the same period last year, Australian wine exports to China were down by 84% in volume to 1.5 million litres, dragging China from top position to being only 7th biggest exporting country for Australian wines.

In value terms, Australian wine exports to China decreased by a whopping 79% to AU$214 million. Before the tariffs, its export value to China was AU$1.3 billion.