China was the main importer of wines produced in Brazil in the first half of the year, accounting for 21.8 percent of exports between January and June costing US$405,000, according to figures published by the Brazilian Wine Institute (Ibravin).

Also according to Ibravin, the amount paid is a 492 percent increase on the US$68,400 of wine imported in the same period of 2011.

In the period, the 38 winemaking companies involve in “Wines of Brazil,” a joint project between Ibravin and the Brazilian Export Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil), exported wines worth a total of US$1.85 million, which was an 86 percent increase on the US$996,000 sold in the same period of 2011.

Andreia Gentilini Milan, who is responsible for the commercial promotion of “Wines of Brazil” said that wine exports to China began in 2010, in which just US$4,000 of wine were sold via Hong Kong.

“Basically we were just sending samples, and real deals only began last year,” said Milan, cited by the Brazilian press.

On the list of the main importers of Brazilian wines, China is the top country, followed by the United Kingdom, Russia, the Netherlands, France, the United States, Poland, Switzerland, Finland, and Belgium. (macauhub)