The repercussions from the tariffs slapped on Australian wine imported into China will be felt across the whole wine industry sector, according to NSW Wine.
NSW exports $150-$180 million of wine to China each year.
NSW Wine president Mark Bourne says, “After a devastating period of a multi-year drought, fires, smoke, crop losses and shutdowns due to Covid-19, we now have a 212 percent charge imposed on NSW wines bound for export to China and we reject any claims or comments of no significant impacts on the NSW wine industry as a result of this China trade dispute.
“Following this latest in a line of blows to the NSW wine industry and its 53,000 direct and indirect employees, we are desperately searching for a reprieve from a tumultuous 12 months, along with support to survive and rebound.”
Bourne made the comments after NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she wasn’t worried about the effects of the wine tariff on her state.
Bourne says that what has not been calculated at this stage are the potential substantial losses of Chinese tourism dollars to the NSW economy, and in particular regional NSW economies.
“If international relationships between Australia and China do not improve, and Chinese tourists and wine consumers do not return to the Australian market in the numbers we have seen previously, there may be longer term effects even more pronounced,” he says.
“I am respectfully issuing an invitation to our elected NSW representatives to meet as soon as possible to experience and hear first-hand from our hard working grapegrowers, winemakers on how this latest, and previous compounding rounds of setbacks, are impacting our industry and our regional communities.”
NSW Wine executive officer Angus Barnes says, “We are still waiting for the NSW Government to agree to a Memorandum of Understanding between industry and government after more than two years of requests.
“An effective MOU would outline the best ways to work together and how the government can support the industry to be competitive and sustainable, and now would be the perfect time for the NSW Government to stand up and support this important industry.”
Photo by Photoholgic on Unsplash
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