China-Australia trade war forces winemakers to look to US, UK, and India to market

As Australian trade officials attempt to negotiate their way out of trade disputes with China, many of the nation’s winemakers are conceding it is time to find more reliable countries to do business with.

China’s decision to add an anti-dumping tariff of up to 212 per cent on Australian wine — that took effect last month — has seen wine exports to China plummet by 95 per cent, according to initial estimates by industry body Australian Grape and Wine.

Australian winemakers are now looking to Britain and the United States as alternative markets, as tensions with China brought about by the coronavirus pandemic force the industry to seek stability in 2021.

There are also calls to boost the popularity of Australian wine in parts of the…