Aussie market tough for wineries

Near parity with the Australian dollar has presented a speed bump for Hawke’s Bay wineries trying to gain traction in the Aussie market. The Kiwi dollar jumped half a cent against the Australian dollar this week, moving above A99c and sparking renewed speculation of parity. The strength of the dollar is putting a strain on exports to Australia for some industries – among them, New Zealand winegrowers. Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers Association chairman Michael Henley said the dollar was a hindrance to breaking further into the Australian market for local wineries.