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 During the press conference held at the headquarters of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine, the Director General of the OIV, Jean-Marie Aurand, presented initial information about world wine production in 2016. It ranks among the three poorest years for production since 2000, according to the early estimates by OIV attributing it to the climatic changes.
Italy (48.8mhL-Million Hecto-Liters) and France (41.9 mhL) will be followed by Spain (37.8 mhL) and the USA at 22.5 mhL with steady production and a slight increase at 1% and 2% respectively. Australia, maintains the 5th position at 12.5 mhL even though there has been an increase of 5% over last year.
In the three main European producing countries, production returned to a slightly higher level than the average over the last five years for Italy and Spain, while in France 2016 production was significantly lower than the average.
 Despite some confusion at the First Asian Wine & Spirit Forum and Tasting – The Silk Route at the Funhill District of Beijing on October 10-12, China remains at the no. 6 spot, according to the OIV figures with the production remaining static at last year’s level of 11.5 mhL, still down from its record production of 13.8 mhL in 2012.
There is massive drop in the estimated production of 21% for Chile (10.1 mhL), 19% for South Africa (9.1 mhL), 35% for Argentina (8.8 mhL) and 20% for Portugal (5.6 mhL). Austria has also suffered a production drop of 20% at 1.8 mhL. The biggest Southward direction has been taken by Brazil, from2.8 mhL it nose-dived to 1.4 mhL recording a fall of 50%.
New Zealand which had a big drop last year from the 3.2 mhL production of 2014 has recovered most of the decrease back, with the production of 3.1 mhL estimated for 2016. It scored a gain of 34% and is pretty close to its record production of 2014.
World wine consumption
 At this time of the year, OIV does not yet have definitive figures on wine consumption, which is nevertheless estimated within the range of 239.7 to 246 mL, about 16 mhL less than the estimated production, adding to the world wine inventory.
About OIV
The OIV is a vine and wine related UN-modelled organisation based in Paris and is an intergovernmental organisation of a scientific and technical nature of recognised competence for its work concerning vines, wine, wine-based beverages, table grapes, raisins and other vine-based products. It is composed of 46 members including India. Subhash Arora, delWine and Indian Wine Academy were the main catalysts in getting admitted into the coveted club of grape and wine producing nations. For his efforts , Arora was awarded a much acclaimed Medal of Merit in 2011. To this date, he is the only Indian to have been showered with this recognition.
Subhash Arora |