Lebanon reaps benefit of UK investment

Lebanon has reported a 33% year-on-year rise in volume exports to the UK for 2011/12, to reach a value of US$4.3 million.

With US and French exports also showing significant growth of $1.9m and $2.4m respectively, Lebanon’s wine export market is now worth over $14m. The country’s total wine production is around 7m bottles per year.

The figures, released by Lebanese Customs, follow a concerted marketing drive launched in 2010 by the Union Vinicole du Liban to raise the profile of its wines in the UK.

“The figures demonstrate that in markets where we as wineries invest significant time and money, we are beginning to reap the benefits”, said Faouzi Issa, owner of Domaine des Tourelles on behalf of the Union Vinicole du Liban (UVL),

The producers’ association now plans to shift some of its focus towards the German market, with 11 members sharing a stand at next month’s Prowein.

Describing Germany as “a very important future market for us,” Issa noted: “we are already seeing a growing level of interest there which we will be building on in the coming months.”