(Decanter) - German wine exports slid by 15.2% in 2012 compared to 2011, continuing a declining trend from the previous year, according to statistics released by the German Wine Institute. The drop in the volume of exports in 2012, to 1.3m hectolitres, follows an 11.8% drop in exports in 2011. While exports in 2012 to some smaller markets showed gains, a ‘significant decline’ in exports to high-volume sales markets like the US, Great Britain and Russia led to the decline, according to a press release issued on the eve of Prowein, Germany’s largest international wine fair, held in Düsseldorf.

The German Wine Institute said the decline was due in part to a smaller 2010 crop and ‘fiercer competition’ for lower priced wine segments. Import regulation changes in the Russian market also led to lower exports there.