Coping with drought: The experiences of the Riverland
Abstract
Coping with drought: the experiences of the Riverland
Summary
Reliability of supply has been a strength of the Riverland wine industry. Indeed supply, buoyed by optimistic growth in the late 1990’s, had climbed to over 460,000 tonnes in vintage 2005 and 2006. Infrastructure, availability of land, climate and ever improving viticulture management made the Riverland a logical choice for vineyard development. As optimistic as the days of the mid to late 90’s were; the days of the mid 2000’s were to act in contrast. As the drought continued, implications of its depth surfaced and irrigation restriction became part of the Riverland landscape. The question for industry became; could the Riverland continue as it had, with pride in its produce and confidence in its supply?
The 2007 vintage had sent shockwaves through the national industry. The drought combined with other environmental pressures and industry downturn to limit the national crush to a little over 1.3m tonnes, a far cry from the 1.86m and 1.92m tonne vintages of the previous years. Tank farms emptied, a slight market correction occurred and the industry despaired at the thought of what vintage 2008 might hold. Cost structures in vineyards struggled with the burden of extra water purchases and low fruit prices (not to mention climate change); there was no guarantee that enough supply would be produced to meet branded commitments and maintain a presence in the markets of the world. In essence, season 2007/08 encapsulated a volatility that would soon grip the world. A paradigm shift was taking place and the industry was just beginning to face the transition required to ensure a healthy industry remained.
The ‘audio CD’ project was a bold concept that experimented with an alternate method of communication but incorporated a familiar format; rural reports had long been a popular avenue for information access in the Riverland. Consideration was given to the increasing economic and time pressures that faced winegrape growers in the region. It was hoped the CD could be listened to on the go.