Grape production in NSW is concentrated in the Murrumbidgee and Murray Statistical Divisions.
Data for 2003-04 indicate there were 36,000 hectares of bearing vines in NSW; a further 3,100 hectares had been planted but were not yet bearing fruit; a record 482,600 tonnes of grapes were produced and the great majority (93%) were grown for winemaking.
Four varieties of grapes accounted for just over 62% of all production: shiraz (103,900 tonnes), chardonnay (86,100 tonnes), cabernet sauvignon (55,600 tonnes) and semillon (51,400 tonnes). White grape production (249,800 tonnes) exceeded red grape production (232,700 tonnes).
VITICULTURE, NSW, year ended 30 June
|
| Vines
not yet bearing | Vines
bearing | |
| area
ha | area
ha | Production(a)
'000 t |
|
1997(b) | 4,092 | 15,898 | 209.9 |
2001 | 3,516 | 31,043 | 348.7 |
2002 | 3,376 | 34,005 | 452.3 |
2003 | 2,748 | 34,291 | 386.9 |
2004 | 3,061 | 35,975 | 482.6 |
|
(a) Fresh weight.
(b) Year ended 31 March.
Source: Agriculture, Australia (cat. no. 7113.0) and Agricultural Commodities, Australia (cat. no. 7121.0).
Data for 2003-04 indicate 49% of all grape production in NSW came from the Murrumbidgee Statistical Division (238,500 tonnes). This was followed by the Murray Statistical Division with 147,900 tonnes.
VITICULTURE, 2003-04
|
Statistical Division | Vines
not yet bearing
area
ha | Vines
bearing
area
ha | Production(a)
'000 t |
|
Sydney | 19 | 246 | 1.4 |
Hunter | 191 | 4,468 | 28.7 |
Illawarra | 34 | 168 | 0.6 |
Richmond-Tweed | - | 4 | - |
Mid-North Coast | 3 | 38 | 0.2 |
Northern | 8 | 347 | 1.9 |
North Western | 225 | 3,006 | 22.6 |
Central West | 344 | 3,709 | 31.7 |
South Eastern | 77 | 915 | 5.3 |
Murrumbidgee | 1,366 | 14,514 | 238.5 |
Murray | 782 | 8,057 | 147.9 |
Far West | 13 | 502 | 3.7 |
| | | |
New South Wales | 3,061 | 35,975 | 482.6 |
|
(a) Fresh weight.
Source: Unpublished ABS data available on request, 2004 Vineyards Collection.