Cape Town - Cabinet has approved steps to help counter the impact of United Kingdom retailers' decision to switch from importing bottled wine from South Africa to bulk wine for bottling in the UK.
These include a process to develop a five-year industry strategy to help place the sector on a sustainable growth path trajectory, government spokesperson Jimmy Manyi told reporters on Wednesday, following the executive's regular fortnightly meeting.
Other steps included a programme to reduce the environmental costs of producing wine in South Africa and in-depth cross-sectoral research and analysis of the wine value chain.
Manyi said the impact of possible bulk whisky imports from the UK would also be studied.
The wine and packaging industries would be engaged to develop innovative packaging solutions with the emphasis on sustainable packaging.
Initiatives would also be undertaken to help the industry speed up export marker diversification and measures taken to prevent possible job losses as a result of the UK retailers' decision, he said.