South Africa’s 2003 wine grape harvest is estimated at 1,183-million tons, a 9,7% increase over last year’s harvest and 9 700 tons more than the exceptionally large harvest of 1999, according to the latest figures compiled by South African Wine Industry Information and Systems (Sawis).
At the same time, Sawis reports that domestic sales of natural wine showed a 2,3% y/y increase for the twelve-month period November 2001 to October 2002 compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, while brandy sales grew by 2,8%.
South African exports of natural wine, meanwhile, grew a strong 16,4% y/y over the same period. Based on numbers estimated by the industry on December 4, 2002, Sawis said it expected that the 2003 wine harvest, including juice and concentrate for non-alcoholic purposes, rebate and distilling wine, will amount to 908,8-million litres at an average recovery of 768 litres per ton of grapes.
A larger harvest is expected in all South Africa’s wine growing districts with the exception of the Orange River. The largest increases are expected in the Stellenbosch, Paarl and Malmesbury districts, due largely to the absence (or close management) of downey mildew, which hit grape crops in these areas particularly hard in 2002.
Reasons given by producers for the expected larger harvest include: a good after-harvest period in April and May which ensured the building up of reserves; a cold winter leading to even and high bud percentage; a cool early summer period and sufficient soil moisture which led to strong growth vigor; the absence of fungal diseases or any other plague to date due to the cool and dry climate; a high percentage of young red vine plantings coming into production; and fewer vines uprooted this year.
Factors that could have influenced the harvest negatively include: unfavourable spring weather with cooler that normal nights; cold windy conditions during the flowering period of certain varieties which especially led to uneven set; the heat wave early in December; a rising trend of producers applying good vine practices to cultivate quality, which can lead to lower production levels; and the absence of rain, which could lead to soil moisture shortages later in the season, if it does not rain sufficiently.
Sawis added that stronger natural wine and brandy sales combined with an expected larger market demand for rebate and distilling wine have resulted in an estimated further decrease in stock levels at co-operatives and cellars to 174,4-million litres on December 31, 2003, compared to 198,2-million litres at the end of 2002.
According to Yvette van der Merwe, manger for information services at SAWIS, the organisation will be updating its harvest estimates based on early January data supplied by producers in mid-January. – I-Net Bridge