Wine grape vintage expected to fall
Australia’s 2008 wine grape harvest is expected to fall well below average and could cause an exodus of growers, an industry expert says.
Past vintages have averaged about 1.9 million tonnes, but because of the drought the 2008 vintage was unlikely to reach 1.3 million tonnes, Wine Grape Growers Australia executive director Mark McKenzie says.
He said the drought could force as many as 1,000 of Australia’s 7,500 wine grape growers to exit the industry.
“We have no reason to believe that (1,000) is not the figure,” Mr McKenzie said.
Many wine grape growers were awaiting the election result before deciding their future, he said.
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