Setback for wine grape harvest

The majority of irrigation dams are between 40 and 60 percent full due to a lower rainfall

CONCERN has been raised in various agriculture sectors, and the South African wine industry has warned of a smaller wine grape harvest in 2016, should current dry conditions persist.

VinPro, the representative organisation for about 3 500 wine producers and cellars, said the winter and spring have been drier than normal in many regions.

A lower rainfall caused a decline in groundwater levels, and the majority of irrigation dams are between 40 and 60 percent full.

“The heatwave that occurred in the last week of October is also an anomaly at this time of the year, and placed further pressure on water resources and available groundwater as the vineyards’ water usage has increased drastically,” said VinPro consultation service manager Francois Viljoen.

He said continued drier weather conditions through the flowering and berry set stages could result in a lower wine grape harvest than this year.

Producers in the Klein Karoo, Robertson and the Overberg had good rainfall during the season, but the dry conditions at the end of last month may impact on production there as well, he added.

VinPro Wine Cellars division manager Christo Conradie said: “Given the current El Niño that has hit the country, the impact might be felt across not only agricultural, but also in the retail environment and ultimately the consumers’ pocket.

“From a wine industry, the final impact might be more noticeable on both the quantity and quality of the 2016 har- vest, although it is too early to make any predictions.”

Cape Chamber of Commerce president Janine Myburgh said wine was an important industry in the Western Cape, sustaining thousands of jobs, while bringing in money from exports.

“It is also one of those products which advertise our skills and enhance our image.”.

Myburgh said the drier con- ditions meant healthy conditions in the vineyards with fewer fungus problems.

“Smaller crops often produce better wine grapes and vintage years, so what we might lose in terms of quantity we may gain in terms of quality.”

Food and Allied Workers Union general secretary Katishi Masemola said the agriculture industry welcomed government initiatives to mobilise funds to mitigate the effects of drought.

“When government assists, that will help mitigate job losses that come as an effect of drought,” he said.

He added that the union had been approached by one sugar operation in KwaZuluNatal about retrenchments as a result of the drought, but as of yet, there were no largescale job losses.

Anton Rabe of HORTGRO, an umbrella communication platform for a number of horticultural sectors, said there were also concerns about fruit produced in the Ceres, Wolseley, Tulbagh and Piketberg areas because of the drought.

He said if current conditions persisted, fragile rural economies where these activities were based, would suffer.

Rabe said onions, potatoes and tomatoes produce would be most effected by drought. lisa.isaacs@inl.co.za

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