SPEECH FOR NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWERS CONSUMER FUNCTIO, JAPAN
StateMinasama, konban wa (good evening everyone)
It is a pleasure to be here this evening. This is one of those all too rare opportunities to combine business with pleasure – for while the wine industry is an important part of New Zealand’s economy, wine is ultimately about enjoyment and good taste.
2006 was a good year for New Zealand wines - both in quantity processed, and, more importantly, in quality.
It was also a good year for wine traders, with exports continuing a rate of increase that makes New Zealand’s wine industry a real success story.
This makes it particularly appropriate that a New Zealand Winegrowers function comes so close to the start of Export Year 2007. The achievements of New Zealand Winegrowers and New Zealand’s wine producers provide a great example to companies across all sectors in how to grow a leading-edge export industry.
New Zealand Trade & Enterprise is putting a lot of emphasis on implementing strategies to assist New Zealand wineries looking to expand into the Asian market. Success in Japan, currently our sixth-largest export market for wine, will play an important part in the success of our Asian export strategy.
New Zealand wines, with their fresh and distinctive style, play a big part in defining our image in the world as a producer of distinctive, high-quality food and drink. All of you have a stake in that. I congratulate you on your successes to date, and wish you good fortune for the future.