A harvest of wine grapes is expected to be 30% lower than the last, although with a high quality
The first estimates of LA UNIÓ of Llauradors foresee a wine grape campaign in all the producing areas of the Valencian Community with approximately 30% less harvest than the last and in which it is important to highlight a high quality.
The year has been marked in the weather by instability, with a lot of cold in winter and extreme heat in recent months. Luis Javier Navarro, Deputy Secretary General of LA UNIÓ, hopes that “these high temperatures will descend as soon as possible and especially that there will be no pedrisco during the dates that remain until the grape collection”.
The harvest, according to data from LA UNIÓ, will be a year earlier, as has been happening lately. It should be noted that heat and low rainfall throughout the year have accelerated the ripening of the grape, which could bring the harvest back up to between 10 to 15 days compared to the average and begin already in early September. You have to harvest first to ensure that the grapes harvested have enough acidity and sugar to produce good wine. In addition, breathing the plant at high temperatures demands a large volume of carbohydrates and energy, leaving less available for the growth of grapes.
High production costs are another concern for farmers as they have significantly increased all inputs used, which will certainly reduce profit margins. The organisation therefore hopes that commercial operators will offer a fair price for a high quality grape. In this sense, from LA UNIÓ it is indicated that any figure that does not exceed 0.36 €/kg of grapes would not be justifiable. It should be noted that a study by LA UNIÓ figures in that amount the average of what it currently means to produce a kilo of wine grapes in the Valencian Community.
Luis Javier Navarro indicates that “the Law of the Food Chain is to be fulfilled and it is not acceptable that farmers receive prices, after sweat and effort throughout the year, below what it costs us to produce. We must put an end to this situation, which is not happening in any sector other than agriculture, and demand a fair price”.
SOURCE: AGRONEWSCOMUNITATVALENCIANA.COM