Five-year plan to grow Victoria’s wine industry

A NEW five-year strategy will guide the future of Victoria’s $9.5 billion wine sector, creating jobs and boosting regional economies across the state.

Agriculture Minister Ros Spence said the plan was developed with industry and sets out priorities for workforce growth, innovation, sustainability and expanding trade.

“This strategy will safeguard Victoria’s world-class wine industry, support regional jobs, and help our growers and winemakers thrive in a rapidly changing world,” she said.

Victoria is home to 21 wine regions and more than 400 cellar doors, the most of any state, supporting about 23,000 jobs across grape growing, winemaking, hospitality and exports.

The strategy was shaped through consultation with industry leaders including Wine Victoria chief executive Stephanie Duboudin and chair Dan Sims.

Wine Victoria has appointed Hayley Purbrick from Tahbilk Winery as sustainability and innovation lead to oversee the plan’s rollout, a role jointly funded by the state government and Wine Australia.

Duboudin said the new framework would help deliver tangible outcomes for producers and communities.

“Working with government, we now have the framework to turn these priorities into tangible outcomes for growers, winemakers, and the communities they support,” she said.

Economic Growth and Jobs Minister Danny Pearson said the government’s $10 million Boosting Victorian Exports Package would help more wineries reach global markets.

“We’re making sure more of our winemakers’ exceptional products get to global markets, strengthening our reputation for world-class wine and creating real opportunities for regional Victorians,” he said.

Tourism Minister Steve Dimopoulos said the wine strategy would also help attract more visitors to regional cellar doors.

“This strategy is about backing local producers, creating jobs and attracting more visitors to experience our one-of-a-kind wine industry that sets Victoria apart from other destinations,” he said.