harpers.co.uk/ — By Mathew Lyons
Bulk wine exports from Spain plummeted during the Covid-19 crisis, according to data from the Bulk Wine Club.
Shipments in April fell by 22% and in May by 28%, representing a drop of 52 million litres in just two months.
The impact was particularly severe in a number of key markets, with shipment to China dropping 92% in May and to Canada falling 66% across both April and May.
Sales in the Russian market, which shrank 80% in April and then 97% in May, suffered from both the effects of the pandemic coupled with new wine legislation introduced in Russia which targeted non-domestic producers.
In more positive news, shipments to the UK, German, Japanese and Danish markets grew.
Exports to Germany grew by over 6%, making it the second largest major market for Spanish bulk wine.
In June, Grupo Rioja called on the Spanish government to do more to support the country’s wine industry during the pandemic.