Brazil drops export of Scotch

Brazil drops export of Scotch
Exports of Scotch whisky fell again last year, as a reflection of the difficult global conditions. The Fed worries about a possible superinvestimento, since new distilleries have opened in recent years.
The Scotch Whisky Association said, however, that he still sees "growth opportunities", especially for premium whiskies, as the "single malts" [made from a mixture of malt and grain distillates in one location, unlike "blends"]. "The longer-term framework is demand growth, new investments and products more expensive and of better quality," said the President of the Association, David Frost.
In 2015, the volume of Scotch exports fell 2.8%, year over year, to 1.16 billion bottles, and their customs value retreated 2.4 percent to 3.86 billion pounds sterling-Kickback considerably slower than the reduction of approximately 7% suffered by these two parameters in 2014.
Semi-annual data also suggested that the rate of decline decelerated during 2015.
The Association reported that one-third of the decrease in total exports was of Brazil, where the demand shrank 20% after the drastic reversal of perspectives of the country''s economy. The value of exports to Brazil fell 30% to £ 56 million, last year.
Already sales of whiskey to Japan had a recovery year from 18% to 76 million pounds sterling, and there was a dramatic growth in some emerging markets. The Mexico, for example, purchased 17% more whisky, totaling 115 million, while shipments to Turkey grew 24%, to nearly 53 million pounds sterling.
In China-where sales were hindered by repression of the Communist party corruption and extravagant consumption of authorities-direct sales had 5% recovery, to 41 million pounds sterling.
The Association drew attention to the continuing relevance of the whisky industry on the market of the European Union (EU), which absorbed 1.2 billion British pounds in 2015. This high consumption is considered an implicit warning against voting for the United Kingdom leave the EU in the referendum scheduled for next month.
"The continuity of membership of the EU will also give support to exports of Scotch whisky to the single market and leave the" scotch "well-positioned to take advantage of lower fares and more equitable access to the EU market has been able to offer the countries of the world," said Frost.
Sales to the EU had fall of 3.6% last year, while those for the North America rose 3 percent, to 941 million pounds, helped by the stabilization of the American market and by 15% growth registered in Canada.
According to the Association, there is still a tendency to reduce the dependence of the market "blends", with the slight high obtained last year by exports of Scotch single malt, to 916 million pounds sterling.