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WoWA aims to help wine sector

Warren HatelyBusselton Dunsborough Times
Chruchview Estate accountant Theresa Fokkema, general manager Ray Fokkema, and proprietor and export manager Sharon Bosveld.
Camera IconChruchview Estate accountant Theresa Fokkema, general manager Ray Fokkema, and proprietor and export manager Sharon Bosveld. Credit: Catherine Massey

The Margaret River wine sector will be helped by a co-ordinated WA-based bid to stay positive in the face of harsh tariff moves by the Chinese Government.

Australian wines have fallen prey to international diplomacy in the latest move, which have sent shockwaves through many of the country’s most prestigious wine producers.

While the Margaret River wine industry has only a small exposure to ructions in the Chinese market, Wines of WA will engage an export development officer to help WA producers.

“It is disappointing that there will be preliminary anti-dumping tariffs imposed on Australian bottled wine imports to China from last Saturday,” Margaret River Wine Association CEO Amanda Whiteland said.

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“This not only affects the Australian wine industry and rural and regional wine-growing economies like Margaret River, but it’s also disappointing for the Chinese wine trade and consumers who love our wines.

“As the preliminary tariff and investigations are ongoing, we hope the situation can be resolved quickly.”

Ms Whiteland said WA’s export growth partnership would develop a five-year strategy to increase the volume of wine exports, values, and the number of participating producers.

WoWA CEO Larry Jorgensen said the new project was “an important turning point for the WA wine sector”.

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