Italian wine exports still positive, +4.9% in value and +5% in volume in the first five months of 2024

For the fifth consecutive month, although with a lower percentage than the last survey, the trend of the Italian wine market in the world remains in positive territory. News that has its weight given that, it should not be forgotten, some market difficulties persist for the sector, but which, also in light of the harvest that will characterize the next few weeks, can represent an injection of confidence. It remains to be understood what will happen in the coming months, considering a market trend that does not allow for wide-ranging predictions. In any case, according to Istat data updated today and analyzed by WineNews, in the period from January to May 2024, exports of Italian wine, globally, exceeded 3.2 billion euros (+4.9 % in value over the same period last year, it was +7% in April) and the 886.5 million liters (+5% in volume over the first five months of 2023, slightly down on the +5.8% recorded in the first quarter).
Almost all the main trading partners have increased the flow of imports compared to the same period of a year ago, with some exceptions, France and Switzerland, above all even if, in comparison with April, the percentage growth rate drops. The United States confirms itself as the first wine partner for Italy, for a value of 792.8 million euros (+5.5% on the figure for the same period in 2023 and almost stable in the growth percentage recorded in April of +6% ), ahead of Germany, the first European market for Italy and which in the first 5 months of 2024 imported a value close to 485 million euros (+1.2%). Also on the podium is the United Kingdom, a market that continues to grow for Italy, rising to 317.1 million euros (+6%, but in April it was at +11.5%). Switzerland continues to “recede” at 164.4 million euros (-4.6%), while Canada is getting closer and exceeds 145 million euros (+5 .4%), although the trend slows down compared to the previous month (+11.4%). Again, there is no good news from France which is above 128 million euros of imports, but loses almost -5.9%, a figure which is still better than April (-6.4%) and with the result of having surpassed Russia. Russia’s performance is excellent, once again, at 112.1 million euros (+97%), while the Netherlands reaches “triple figures” with 102.9 million euros of imports (+8%). Belgium is down to 88.6 million euros (-2.5%) and, closing the top ten, there is, once again, Sweden, still in negative territory (81.7 million euros, - 3.9%). The data for Japan is very good, exceeding 78.7 million euros of imports in the first five months (+7.2%), and that of Denmark which, thanks to the result in May (64.7 million euros, + 4.9%) overtakes Austria, which is nevertheless the protagonist of the most significant growth on a percentage level (64.4 million euros, +21.8%). China returns to decline (36.7 million, -6.1%), with the Asian continent also recording the losses of South Korea (-8%, 22.4 million euros of imports). Therefore, although there has been a slowdown compared to the last survey in April, and with the always valid premise that it is still early to really understand how the markets will go in 2024, the numbers speak, on an overall level, of an improving trend in 2023. And, waiting for the official data in the middle of the year, it is something to take note of with a positive sentiment.