The Wine Industry Export Growth Partnership, a $6 million project that will boost wine exports and create local jobs, has been launched by the Western Australian government.
Delivering on its $3M election commitment to establish the partnership, the industry will match the state government’s funding to deliver the five-year program.
“WA wines already have a global reputation for excellence and this partnership with industry will help to bring more Western Australian wine to the world,” Agriculture and Food minister Alannah MacTiernan said.
The Wine Industry Export Growth Partnership will open the WA Wines to the World project, aimed at driving export competitiveness to increase the value of Western Australian wine exports by 50 per cent, amounting to $117M annually by 2025.
“The past year has reinforced the importance of diversifying our export markets and this partnership will channel the resources of government and industry into boosting exports through market positioning and R&D,” MacTiernan said.
In the first phase of the project, Wines of WA will commission a study to identify market and consumer trends to determine the best way to position Western Australia’s premium wines in international markets. Additionally, they will conduct workshops and extension activities to encourage more wine producers in the state to consider export opportunities.
The industry-led partnership will also boost research capability in Western Australian wine quality and provenance.
“The wine industry is an important job-creator across our southern regions, with flow-on benefits for the tourism and hospitality sector,” MacTiernan said.
“We will continue to seek additional support from the Commonwealth towards this partnership, to ensure our wine industry reaches its full potential.”
The WA Wine Export Advisory and Steering Group will oversee the implementation of the project. It will include representatives from Wines of WA, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, producers and regional wine associations.