NO PROBLEM WITH QUALITY
The grapes harvested in the 2015/16 crop year were similar in quality to grapes of normal growing
seasons, comments Loiva Maria Ribeiro de Mello. In general, the growers received a compensation in
the form of higher prices, which, nonetheless, are not enough to make up for all the losses endured by
the vitiviniculturists, as some of them lost almost their entire crop. “Those who had insured their vine-
yard are now in a more comfortable situation. Besides fetching higher prices, they received a compen-
sation for their losses “, she comments.
Furthermore, the losses had reflections over the entire supply chain. Each link of the sector will have
to grapple with a part of these losses, even the consumers, in the form of higher prices. “It is equally
not possible to reckon how much each grower has lost in value, but, considering that supply was low,
we can draw the conclusion that the companies paid much higher prices than in previous years. It is
the law of supply and demand”, Loiva recalls.
In the 2015/16 harvest, average productivity could reach 12,524 kilograms per hectare, down 34.9%
from the 19,242 kilograms achieved in the previous year. With regard to vineyard productivity, the re-
searcher explains that there is need to separate table grapes, wine and juice grapes, grapes for fresh
consumption and grapes for making fine wines (including sparkling wines). “An increase to productiv-
ity is not always favorable, as a lot depends on the final product”, she observes.
According to LSPA/IBGE sources, vineyards occupied a total area of 77,540 hectares in the 2015/16
growing season, down 1.8% from the previous year. Vineyard reductions started in 2013, when they
occupied 81,607 hectares. Reasons for these planted area reductions include real estate speculation in
some regions, drift of youths from rural to urban areas and/or availability of labor at competitive prices.
