AUS: WA winemakers demand state cash - report

By just-drinks.com editorial team | 31 March 2006

Winemakers in Western Australia have asked for state government funding to fund a marketing effort in the US, according to local reports.

The WA Wine Industry Association today (31 March) held talks with local government officials and were set to ask for a cash injection of A$600,000 (US$427,566) over the next three years.

Association president John Griffiths told Australia's ABC network that the project was crucial to the future growth prospects of the wine industry in Western Australia.

"We really need to be quite focused. We've got to get over there a lot, we've got to get their people back over here," he said.

"I think we've got to be very targeted and very focused, rather than a shotgun approach, we've got to pick probably the best target and direct all our energies at that target."

Earlier this month, it was reported that this year's harvest in Western Australia was expected to be 15-20% lower than the previous year.

A lower harvest this year could help alleviate the state's wine glut, which was a significant factor in the recent financial problems suffered by local wine producers Evans & Tate and Xanadu Wines.

Sectors: Wine