(4 Minutes read)
· The South African wine industry is buoyant about the government allowing transportation of wine for export and feels that it would help augmenting exports
· The transportation of liquor – including products like Amarula – is being permitted when the country has entered the level
4 of the lockdown
The South African wine industry is buoyant about the government allowing transportation of wine for export and feels that it would help augmenting exports. As reported by www.trendsnafrica.com earlier, wine makers have been pleading for the opening up of exports to liquidate the huge inventories and to meet demands from the overseas clients. The decision to allow export of wines was announced by
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Thoko Didiza. The transportation of liquor – including products like Amarula – is being permitted when the country has entered the level 4 of the lockdown.
Transportation of liquor was under the banned list ahead of the start of the lockdown period on 27 March since it was treated as non-essential. Later, after a week or so, it was suddenly permitted for about another week to be banned again.
Wine producers lobby Vinpro and similar organizations have been lobbying all along to get permission granted to get their products
moved to ports. Now, wine organizations feel that half of the industry can get cracking with the reprieve granted to them. The
South African wine has earned immense support from overseas producers, journalists and retailers, which could lead to greater empathy and support for Brand South Africa, possibly having long term benefits in elevating the country’s profile as also augmenting its exports.
Grape and wine production is one of the largest export-orientated agricultural value-chains, which contributes R49 billion to GDP. It
is also a major foreign exchange earner for the country. Apart from wine, export of wool and other synthetic products are being allowed at level 4. Harvesting of grains and oil seeds also will take place. Forestry is allowed and bee keepers can attend to their bees, including at night. Retail shops providing agricultural inputs will operate and auctions will take place, but under strict conditions to
adhere to the prevention of health risks.
