Cognac Exports Increase

Exports of cognac have ended 22 consecutive months of decline with shipments posting a slight lift in volumes for the year ending April. Exports in the 12 month period were up by 0.4% compared to the equivalent period a year earlier. Between May 2014 and April 2015 exports totalled 159.1m bottles, generating revenues of EUR 2.26bn, down 2%. "The upturn is largely due to the dynamic US market which rose 14.8% in volume." The Far East region was down 12.2% but the strong decline in the Chinese market over the past couple of years appears to have abated, with recent months showing signs of recovery.