South Africa: Wine Industry at a Crossroads Due to Export and Domestic Sales Restrictions

The South African wine industry is currently facing restrictions on wine exports and imports, and domestic wine sales. These restrictions are expected to impact the South African wine sector and wine trade, including U.S. wine exports to South Africa. The wine industry has reported losses at R650 million (US$35 million) due to the restrictions on exports during the first three weeks of the lock down. United States wine exports to South Africa are minimal and were only 32,172 liters (US$ 136,789) in 2019. The restrictions on the transportation of liquor products, and the prohibition of domestic wine sales is expected to impact South African wine imports negatively. This is expected to further decrease the already minimal U.S wine exports to South Africa.

South Africa: Wine Industry at a Crossroads Due to Export and Domestic Sales Restrictions