MENDOZA, Argentina, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Argentina's Bulk Wine Chamber (CAVG), an organization gathering more than 50 local wine producers, is seeking to expand wine trade in China.
In a bid to boost sales to the Asian market, the chamber is actively pursuing agreements and planning to attend China's first World Bulk Wine Exhibition to be hosted in Yantai, in eastern Shandong province, from May 30 to May 31.
Yantai is considered as China's most important gateway for bulk wine, receiving more than 80 percent of the bulk wine imported by the country each year.
The chamber has set its sight on the market in China because of its growth potential, he said.
"We have seen China grow a lot in the past 10, 15 years, and it is an interest for Chinese people to have new consumption alternatives," Jose Bartolucci, the head of the chamber, told Xinhua.
The CAVG recently signed a framework agreement with the northeast Chinese province of Liaoning, to supply wine in bulk and establish a binational company to build a wine plant in the region.
Despite domestic sales on the slide, the bulk wine industry in Argentine is hoped to account for 8 to 10 percent in the global market, since exports can relieve the depression in local market, he said.
"China imports a lot of quality wine, driving us to insist on the promotion. Our new harvest, which will wrap up in a few days, will be of optimal quality and Argentina now has the chance to offer it to Asian markets and the whole world," said Bartolucci.
The chamber will also organize business meetings between wine suppliers and importers in Argentina's Mendoza province, the most important wine region in the country, from June 24 to June 26.
"A good number of Chinese importers are going to be invited to the event," he said.
The goal of the CAVG is to export around 300 million liters of wine by 2020. In 2018, the wine industry exported 90 million liters.
China is now Argentina's leading export market for agricultural goods, including cooking oil, soy, beef, poultry, wine and dairy.
