Grapegrowers facing end of golden harvest

Grapegrowers say their golden days of selling grapes on the spot market appear to be over because 5000 tonnes of "uncommitted" grapes are set to be harvested in the next couple of months.

Winegrowers New Zealand says that for this vintage, wine grape production will soar from about 76,400 tonnes last year to 150,000 to 170,00 tonnes - about 30 per cent higher than the previous record harvest in 2002.

More than 550 tonnes of the 5000 tonnes of grapes with no contracts are reported to be in the Gisborne district, and to include 350 tonnes of Gisborne chardonnay.

The crop "overhang" is severely affecting growers who took a punt and opted to sell their grapes on the spot market, which until now has been highly competitive, the Gisborne Herald reports.

Among the unsold grapes are three varieties - muller thurgau, chenin blanc and golden chasselas - grown by Del and Glyn Waite at Marumaru, Frasertown.

Last year, they picked 30 tonnes instead of their normal 300 tonnes after being severely hit by late spring frosts. This year their grapes are ripening on the vines, but so far they have no home.

"It's making us wonder if it's any good carrying on with spraying and netting them against the birds," said Mrs Waite.

Mr Waite works in Wairoa and Mrs Waite runs the 18ha vineyard. They planted their vineyard 27 years ago, growing originally for Cooks. Over the years as the wine industry was rationalised they came into the Corbans stable and then to Montana Wines.

They then opted to sell through a broker.

The Waites have weathered all the climatic highs and lows over the years and Mrs Waite said there were enough worries growing grapes without having to shop around for a buyer.

"We won't give up until the end of the grape season," she said.

The couple are uncomfortable about the likely impact of no returns on their finances, but they will survive.

"It would be nice to sell the crop so we can pay the bank off."

If no sale is made the grapevines will be pulled and the area cropped. They already grow some maize and have a few livestock

Tolaga Bay growers of seven years Roy and Sue Johnson have chardonnay and merlot uncommitted. They have sold 120 tonnes, but will have another 120 tonnes left.

They have advanced by a year plans to make more of their own wine, and some of the uncontracted 120 tonnes will be made into wine to be marketed under the Riverlea, Tolaga Bay label.

The Johnsons, who have a vineyard at Mangatuna and lease Karaka Vineyard on the coast, have shares in a United States wine importing company.

Mr Johnson criticises the big wineries.

"The first time they have an opportunity to build up stocks they throw the towel in," he said.

"It's a sad indictment on how they have sold their wine."

The wine broker's story

Auckland wine broker Wayne Thomas says a lot of uncommitted growers have been in contact with him, but he has not been able to sell their grapes for them. He has sold only a fraction of other vintages.

"I can understand the concerns of uncontracted growers. I can't move anything. I am at my wits end," he said.

He knew when he set his business up in 1986 that he would probably get 12 to 15 years out of brokering and this had stretched to 18 years. No indication had been given that it would to come to such a sudden end.

Part of the trouble was that companies such as one that had previously readily secured certain white varieties on the open market for one of its popular wines had now been hit by the high exchange rate and it found it could not economically compete with wine from Chile, Argentina and South Africa.

"We produce very good white wine, but at a cost," said Mr Thomas, "and this is quite a bit higher than Chile, Argentina and South Africa."

- NZPA