Grape production has increased significantly in Victoria in recent years. From 1997 to 2004, the area of bearing vines in Victoria increased by 64%.
Data for 2003-04 indicated there were 34,900 hectares of bearing vines in Victoria and a further 3,600 hectares not yet bearing fruit. A total of 532,300 tonnes of grapes were produced, with most (72%) grown for winemaking. White grape production (327,300 tonnes) exceeded red grape production (204,900 tonnes).
Four varieties of grapes accounted for 65% of all production: sultana (149,600 tonnes), chardonnay (81,600 tonnes), shiraz (63,800) and cabernet sauvignon (50,900 tonnes).
VITICULTURE, Victoria, year ended 30 June
|
 | Vines
non-bearing | Vines
bearing | |
| area
ha | area
ha | Production
'000 t |
|
| 1997(a) | 4,018 | 21,338 | 329.7 |
| 2001 | 4,623 | 32,301 | 439.7 |
| 2002 | 3,618 | 35,035 | 514.1 |
| 2003 | 3,839 | 34,446 | 405.4 |
| 2004 | 3,600 | 34,929 | 532.3 |
|
(a) Year ended 31 March.
Source: Agriculture, Australia (cat. no. 7113.0) and Agricultural Commodities, Australia (cat. no. 7121.0).
Data for 2003-04 indicated 82% of all grape production in Victoria came from the Mallee Statistical Division (435,600 tonnes). This was followed by the Ovens-Murray Statistical Division with 6% of production (32,000 tonnes).
VITICULTURE, 2003-04
|
| Statistical Division | Vines
non-bearing
area
'000 ha | Vines
bearing
area
'000 ha | Production
'000 t |
|
| Melbourne | 0.3 | 3.5 | 25.2 |
| Barwon | 0.1 | 0.5 | 3.3 |
| Western District | - | 0.2 | 1.3 |
| Central Highlands | 0.1 | 1.1 | 6.7 |
| Wimmera | - | 0.3 | 1.7 |
| Mallee | 2.3 | 22.6 | 435.6 |
| Loddon | 0.1 | 1.1 | 6.0 |
| Goulburn | 0.4 | 2.5 | 20.0 |
| Ovens-Murray | 0.2 | 2.9 | 32.0 |
| East Gippsland | - | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| Gippsland | - | 0.1 | 0.6 |
| | | |
| Victoria | 3.6 | 34.9 | 532.3 |
|
Source: Unpublished ABS data available on request, 2004 Vineyards Collection.
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