HONG KONG: Hong Kong imported the bulk of its wines in the first eight months from France, the UK and Italy, the Hong Kong Trade Developement Council says. Wine imports in the period were worth HK$7.56 billion. The industry picture was offered as the HKTDC announced the International Wine & Spirits Fair from November 9-11 (Thursday to Saturday) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. This will be the 10th edition of the fair. On the final day (Saturday, November 11), the show will be open to public visitors with admission tickets.
HKTDC deputy executive director Benjamin Chau said: “In the first eight months of this year, Hong Kong’s wine imports reached HK$7.56 billion. Most of the wines were imported from France, the United Kingdom and Italy. Imports from the United States and Italy even recorded a 16 percent and 22 percent growth respectively. In terms of exports, Hong Kong’s wine exports amounted to HK$2.96 billion. The Chinese mainland is Hong Kong’s largest export market, followed by Macau and Vietnam.” After the Hong Kong Government eliminated all duty-related customs and administrative controls on wine in 2008, wine imports jumped from HK$1.6 billion in 2007 to HK$12 billion in 2016, up more than 700 percent.
Hong Kong has also developed into the region’s wine trading and distribution center, and serves as a gateway for wines entering the Chinese mainland. The fair will feature more than 30 group pavilions of wine-producing regions, trade organizations and governmental organizations. There will be new pavilions by the Syndicat Général des Vignerons de la Champagne, France (SGV), Southern United States Trade Association, the Russian Export Center, Enterprise Mauritius, Confederação dos Agricultores de Portugal, Setúbal Península Wines, Portugal, and and Asociatia Producatorilor si Exportatorilor de Vinuri, Romania.
