The value of Chilean wine exports increased by 8.3% in the first seven months of 2003 compared to the same period in 2002, according to new figures from wine exporters’ association Chilevid.


The total value of exports reached US$363m in the first seven months, although the rise was hampered by a fall in the average price of exported wine, which fell from US$1.70 to US$1.66 per litre.


Over the same period exports by volume increased by 11% compared to 2002, from 196.9m litres in the first seven months of 2002 to 218.5m to July 2004.


Chilevid reports that wine exports performed particularly strongly in July. The wine exporters’ association said both the average price and volume of bulk wine exports increased, and it suggested that this may have been the result of the unusually hot weather recorded in Europe.