Aussie Crush Continues Amid Bush Fires; No Full Assessment Yet

The bush fires that have ravaged the vineyards of Victoria since February 7  “have directly threatened the wine producing areas of Beechworth, Bendigo, Gippsland, Heathcote, and the Yarra Valley,” according to a statement released Monday by the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation (AWBC).

Despite this, the AWBC said that “the majority of wineries in Victoria “are operating normally with grapes being crushed and visitors welcome.”

YARRA MAY HAVE DODGED THE WORST

The AWBC statement said that, “From information to hand so far, the Yarra Valley Wine Growers Association estimates that 80 ha (200 acres) of vineyards have been damaged or destroyed. There will be no crops harvested from these vineyards in 2009. Given that the area under vines in the Valley is about 3000 hectares, 80 Ha represents about 3% (three percent) of the planted vineyard area. The impact on the total grape crop in 2009 will therefore not be large.”

OTHER AREAS STILL TO BE ASSESSED

The full effects on other growing areas are yet to be determined.

“The full impact and consequences are not yet known,” said the AWBC, “and will take some time to be completely understood. Impacts range from the tragic loss of human life through to property damage, vineyard damage, smoke taint, and heat stress. However, due to the unpredictable nature of bushfires, the impacts have been highly variable by region and individual enterprises.

“THE CONFRONTING REALITY OF AUSTRALIAN RURAL/AGRICULTURAL LIFE”

In an understated, stiff-upper-lip fashion, the AWBC statement concluded that, “This is a profoundly sad episode for the state of Victoria and the country, but equally, it is the confronting reality of Australian rural/agricultural life.”

An assessment of the full  impact on the wine sector will not be made for some weeks