This year, Ukrainian winegrowers faced serious problems due to abnormally high temperatures and prolonged drought, which led to a significant decrease in the quality and quantity of grapes. Taras Bashtannyk, president of the Ukrainian Fruit and Vegetable Association, spoke about the situation in the industry in his interview for SEEDS.
According to Bashtannyk, due to the extreme weather conditions this year, the grapes are incredibly small - in fact, they resemble raisins. "The quality and quantity of grapes is very low. We have not only a crop failure, but also small grapes, they are, in fact, the size of raisins. Considering the poor harvest, the prices of grapes this year are very high," he said.
It is important to note that the only farms that were able to get the planned harvest are those that use drip irrigation. Thanks to this method, they were able not only to preserve the yield, but also to take advantage of favorable wholesale prices, which range from 45 to 55 hryvnias per kilogram of table grapes. "This is a rather high indicator against the background of the general drop in productivity," Bashtannyk emphasized.
Thus, farmers who invested in irrigation technologies were in a more advantageous position, because they were able to make a profit even in difficult conditions. At the same time, for the rest of the producers, the situation is a challenge that requires a review of approaches to cultivation and adaptation to climate change.
Experts predict that in view of changes in the climate, Ukrainian winegrowers should prepare for new challenges associated with changing weather conditions, which, in turn, will affect agronomic practices and the economy of the industry.
