1329.0.55.002 - Vineyards Estimates, Australia, 2003-04  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 22/12/2004   
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Estimates from the Vineyards 2004 collection show that the season 2004 was another record year for Australia's grape growers, with 164,200 hectares of vines being cultivated. The total area of vines bearing grapes increased by 5% to a record 150,600 hectares in the 2004 season, with increases being reported in all the major growing states. In particular, the total area of vines bearing grapes in South Australia increased by 8% to a record 65,000 hectares.

There was a record 2.0 million tonnes of grapes harvested in 2004, a 35% increase on the 2003 harvest and 15% above the previous record harvest of 1.8 million tonnes in 2002. The largest producing state, South Australia, recorded an increase in production of 44% to a record 886,000 tonnes. The next largest producing states also reported record harvests: Victorian production increased by 31% to 532,000 tonnes; and New South Wales production increased by 25% to 482,600 tonnes.

Red grape varieties comprised 60% of the total area of vines and 62% of the total bearing area. Red grape production (1.1 million tonnes) continued to surpass white grape production (918,200 tonnes), reinforcing shifts in consumer preferences in recent years. A record 1.8 million tonnes of grapes were harvested for winemaking, an increase of 37% on the 2003 harvest and 20% above the previous record of 1.5 million tonnes in 2002. The production of grapes for drying rose by 40% to 129,500 tonnes while the harvest of table and other grapes fell, by 8% to 68,900 tonnes.

South Australia remains the principal red grape-growing state with 55% of total red grape production and 56% of the red grapes used for winemaking. Victoria produced 36% of all white grapes followed by South Australia with 31%.

Four varieties of grapes accounted for 62% of all production: shiraz (436,800 tonnes), cabernet sauvignon (320,100 tonnes), chardonnay (311,300 tonnes) and sultana (188,000 tonnes).

The principal source of water for irrigating vines in 2004 was surface water from state or private irrigation schemes. A total of 80,900 hectares of vines were irrigated from this source. The principal methods of watering vines in 2004 were by drip or micro spray. A total of 105,500 hectares of vines were irrigated by these methods.

(State data are available on request.)

GRAPES(a), Area of vines at harvest (ha) - Year ended 30 June

Australia

2002
2003
2004

RED GRAPES

Bearing
88,102
88,645
92,892
Not yet bearing: planted or grafted prior to collection year
5,537
4,425
3,173
Not yet bearing: planted or grafted during collection year
3,530
2,422
2,224
Total area of vines
97,169
95,491
98,290

WHITE GRAPES

Bearing
55,271
54,148
57,669
Not yet bearing: planted or grafted prior to collection year
2,726
3,987
4,627
Not yet bearing: planted or grafted during collection year
3,427
3,866
3,595
Total area of vines
61,425
62,001
65,891

TOTAL GRAPES
Bearing
143,373
142,793
150,561
Not yet bearing: planted or grafted prior to collection year
8,264
8,412
7,800
Not yet bearing: planted or grafted during collection year
6,958
6,288
5,819
Total area of vines
158,594
157,492
164,181

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) Where figures have been rounded, discrepancies may occur between sums of the component items and totals.

GRAPES(a), Production (fresh weight) (t) - Year ended 30 June

Australia

2002
2003
2004

RED GRAPES

Winemaking
847,730
772,522
1,063,075
Drying
14,650
8,572
8,643
Table and other
30,751
28,400
25,076
Total production
893,131
809,493
1,096,794
Yield (t/ha)(b)
10.1
9.1
11.8

WHITE GRAPES

Winemaking
666,771
557,074
753,482
Drying
138,213
83,692
120,845
Table and other
55,772
46,680
43,844
Total production
860,757
687,446
918,171
Yield (t/ha)(b)
15.6
12.7
15.9

TOTAL GRAPES
Winemaking
1,514,501
1,329,595
1,816,556
Drying
152,863
92,264
129,489
Table and other
86,524
75,080
68,920
Total production
1,753,888
1,496,939
2,014,965
Yield (t/ha)(b)
12.2
10.5
13.4

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) Where figures have been rounded, discrepancies may occur between sums of the component items and totals.

GRAPES(a), Australia, Production by selected variety (t) - Year ended 30 June 2004

SELECTED RED GRAPES

Shiraz
436,799
Cabernet Sauvignon
320,122
Merlot
123,952
Pinot Noir
41,692
Ruby Cabernet
35,814

SELECTED WHITE GRAPES

Chardonnay
311,284
Sultana
187,974
Semillon
99,239
Colombard
69,750
Muscat Gordo Blanco
56,325

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) Where figures have been rounded, discrepancies may occur between sums of the component items and totals. Note that more detailed varietal information will be available in Australian Wine and Grape Industry (cat. no. 1329.0) due for release in January 2005.

GRAPEVINES WATERED IN SEASON 2004, Australia(a) (ha)

SOURCE OF WATER

Surface water from state/private irrigation schemes
80,872
Other surface water
24,051
Underground water supply
33,289
Town or country reticulated water supply
2,996
Recycled water
2,789
Other
97

WATERING METHOD

Drip or micro spray
105,514
Furrow or flood
11,740
Spray
23,369
Other
173

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) Where figures have been rounded, discrepancies may occur between sums of the component items and totals.