THE FOLLOWING are among the statistics presented by the International Organisation of Vine & Wine in the OIV's 2025 report on the state of the wine industry internationally (2024 data):
South Africa ranked eighth in terms of the world's major wine producers, down from seventh in the OIV's 2024 report, with the country's wine production estimated at 8.8 million hectolitres. This volume is down 5.1% year-on-year and the lowest output since 2005, with challenges in the vineyards during the 2023/24 growing season including frost, heavy winter rainfall, high winds, floods and fungal disease. Italy is the biggest wine-producing country: 44.1mhl, up 15% compared to 2023. France produced 36.1mhl, down 23.5%. Spain produced 31mhl, up 9.3%. The USA produced 21.1mhl, down 17.2%. Argentina produced 10.9mhl, up 23.3%. Australia produced 10.2mhl, up 5.3%. Chile produced 9.3mhl, down 15.6%. Germany produced 7.8mhl, down 9.8%. Portugal produced 6.9mhl, down 8.2%.
South Africa's vineyard area reduced by 1.5% to 120 000 hectares – the tenth consecutive year of decline, attributed in part to severe droughts between 2015 and 2017. The country ranked 15th among the world's major vine-growing countries, with the top four comprising Spain (930 000ha), France (783 000ha), China (753 000ha) and Italy (728 000ha). Figures include vines for winemaking as well as for table grapes.
Regarding wine exports, South Africa ranked sixth in terms of volume (3.6mhl, up 3.4%), and 11th in terms of value (€600 million, up 5%). The leading exporters volume wise are Italy (21.7mhl), Spain (20mhl), France (12.8mhl ), Chile (7.8mhl) and Australia (6.5mhl). Value wise, the top exporters are France (€11 671m), Italy (€8105m), Spain (€2983m), Australia (€1623m), Chile (€1497m), the USA (€1157m) New Zealand (€1122m) and Germany (€1024m). Unlike most wine-producing countries, South Africa, Spain and Australia export a greater volume of wine in bulk than they do in bottle – 56%, 55% and 61% respectively.
The biggest wine-consuming countries are the USA at 33.3mhl (down 5.8%), France at 23mhl (down 3.6%), Italy at 22.3mhl (unchanged), Germany at 17.8mhl (down 3%) and the UK at 12.6mhl (down 1%), with Spain at 9.9mhl (up 1.2%), Russia at 8.1mhl (up 2.4%), Argentina at 7.7mhl (down 1.2%), Portugal at 5.6mhl (up 0.5%), China at 5.5mhl (down 19.3%), Australia at 5.3mhl (down 2.7%), Canada at 4.6mhl (down 6.4%), while South Africa's wine consumption in 2024 was put at 4.3mhl (down 2.8%).
In terms of countries importing the most wine, the USA is the biggest spender at €6.3 billion (12.3mhl), followed by the UK at €4.6 billion (12.6mhl), Germany at €2.5 billion (12.7mhl), and then Canada at €1.9 billion (3.8mhl), the Netherlands at €1.5 billion (3.9mhl), China at €1.5 billion (2.8mhl), Japan at €1.5 billion (2.4mhl), Belgium at €1.2 billion (2.8mhl), France at €900m (5.4mhl) and Italy at €500m (2.9mhl).
In presenting the ‘State of the World Vine and Wine Sector in 2024', director general of the OIV John Barker stressed the importance of multilateral cooperation and adaptation to the effects of climate change, shifting consumer preferences and geopolitical uncertainty. He highlighted the following in his ‘snapshot':
• The global vineyard surface area has been decreasing for the past four years, although a contraction of 0.6% to 7.1 million hectares in 2024 reflects a slower rate of decrease. The downward trend is driven by vineyard removals across the major vine-growing regions.
• Global wine production in 2024 was estimated at 226 million hectolitres, the lowest in over 60 years – down 5% compared to 2023, largely due to unpredictable and extreme weather events caused by climate change.
• In 2024, global wine consumption was estimated at 214 million hectolitres, a 3.3% decrease compared to 2023 – the lowest level since 1961. This due to economic and geopolitical factors generating inflation and creating uncertainty, as well as a decline in mature markets shaped by evolving lifestyle preferences, shifting social habits and generational changes in consumer behaviour.
• Global export volumes held steady at 99.8 million hectolitres. Export value declined slightly by 0.3% to €36 billion, but the average export price remains at the historically high €3.60/litre.
For country-by-country figures regarding the world's biggest wine producers on the basis of volume, vineyards and exports as well as the largest importers and consumers of wine, click here. For the OIV’s full report, click here and here.
* Released from its HQ in Dijon, France, the OIV‘s annual report on the wine industry internationally comprises statistics from all of the world's wine-producing nations (more than 180).