8 percent was produced in the States of Illinois, New Jersey, Washington, Michigan, Virginia, Ohio, and Arkansas. Sixteen other States produced the remaining 1 percent. In the period 1964-68, U.S. production of grape table wine ranged irregularly from 100 million gallons to 139 million, with estimated value ranging from $91.2 million to $133.6 million (table 1). U.S. wine stocks at yearend 1968 amounted to a total of 268 million gallons, of which 148 million gallons contained 14 percent or less alcohol. Yearend stocks have increased almost uninterruptedly since 1958 when they amounted to 200 million gallons, 70 million of which were table wine. Wide year to year variations in the size of the California grape crop result in fluctuating production of table and dessert wines, grape juice concentrate, and wine spirits. Most of the crop not sold as table grapes or raisins (both relatively stable markets) goes into production of wines, wine spirits, or concentrates. In periods of recurring grape surpluses, mounting inventories depress the price of these products as well as the price of grapes sold to wineries. U.S. exports and imports Annual U.S. exports are small. In 1964-68 wine of all types exported from the United States ranged from 209,000 gallons to 324,000 gallons annually, with value ranging from $552,000 to $986,000 (table 2). Exports of grape table wine were estimated to range from 76,000 gallons annually to 145,000 gallons, with value ranging from $200,000 to $442,000 (table 1). Canada was the chief customer. Annual U.S. imports of grape table wine increased 51 percent from 8,509,000 gallons, valued at $29,127,000 in 1964 to 12,838,000 gallons, valued at $51,631,000 in 1968 (table 1). Imports supplied between 12 and 14 percent of U.S. consumption annually in this recent period (table 1). The average annual increase was 10.8 percent, only slightly less than the average increase of 11.7 percent in the preceding 1959-63 period. Almost all imports were in bottled form (containers holding 1 gallon or less) (table 3). Bulk imports, which are dutiable at a much higher rate than bottled imports, in 1964-68 did not exceed 3,000 gallons in any year (table 4). About two-thirds of U.S. table wine imports are valued at $4.00 or less per gallon and can be considered competitive price-wise with U.S. table wines. February 1970 Table 1.--Still grape wine containing not over 14 percent of alcohol by volume: U.S. production, imports for consumption, exports of domes tic merchandise, and apparent consumption, 1964-68 Quantity in thousands of gallons; value in thousands of dollars) 1/ Total domestic wine production as reported by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, less: (1) losses; (2) withdrawals from bonded wine premises for production of sparkling wine; (3) estimated production of nongrape table wine; and (4) production of wine containing more than 14 percent alcohol, based on tax-paid withdrawals of such wine adjusted for stock changes. Value was estimated by applying the average value for grape table wines in the 1963 Census of Manufactures (adjusted by the wholesale price index in each year) to each year's internal revenue tax-paid withdrawals; valuation of residual production was based on an average value of 35 cents per gallon. 2/ Estimated on the basis of total wine exports, allocated according to the proportion of total tax-paid withdrawals represented by taxpaid withdrawals of table wine in each year. 3/ Tax-paid withdrawals, plus imports, less estimated withdrawals of nongrape table wine. Figures in this column do not include nontaxpaid withdrawals for vinegar production, or for distillation into brandy or fruit spirits. 4/ Not available. Source: Production and consumption compiled from official statistics of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service; value of production based on official statistics of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; foreign trade data compiled from official statistics of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Adjustments by the U.S. Tariff Commission. February 1970 Table 2.--Wines from fresh grapes and grape must: Market : U.S. exports, Source: Compiled from official statistics of the U.S. Department of Commerce. February 1970 |