Grape harvest larger than 2016’s despite drought, but innovation is key to survival
The drought has, until now, not had a major effect on the wine industry, but adequate rainfall is needed this winter for good vine performance and crop yields for the coming season, wine producer body VinPro says. The Western Cape is the midst of a devastating drought, which threatens the viability of the entire agricultural sector. VinPro said that despite the drought, the 2017 harvest was 1.4% bigger than the previous year, with healthy grapes, intense flavours and colours promising great wines. The body, however, warned the predicted long-term drying trends in the Western Cape would have serious implications for the wine industry, and farmers would have to find innovative ways to remain viable. Wine is one of SA’s largest agricultural exports, with the county’s nearly 100,000ha of vineyards, mostly situated in the Western Cape near the coast, accounting for about 4% of the world production. Next season’s potential harvest is dependent on various factors such as the size of the cu...
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