THE 2024 Murray Darling-Swan Hill grape crush was up 38 per cent on the previous year at 282,338 tonnes new data has shown.
But Murray Valley Winegrowers chief executive Paul Derrico said that total is still 14 per cent below the local industry’s five-year average of 326,903 tonnes and was the second lowest crush for more than a decade.
Mr Derrico also said grower tonnages, that is purchased fruit, were 165,000 tonnes, an increase of 22 per cent on 135,000 tonnes in 2023, while winery-grown production was 118,000 tonnes – a large increase on the 70,000 tonnes produced last year.
“The 2023 crush was the lowest in 23 years, not just here but nationally, on the back of weather and widespread disease challenges,” he said.
“For growers in the Murray Valley this year, weather conditions were the least of their concerns.
“While still challenging, growing conditions in the region were nowhere near as difficult as the previous vintage as the season started out fairly dry, providing ideal conditions for pruning and preparing the vineyards for the vintage.
“Budburst did come earlier than the previous few years, and spring brought clear weather without too much rain, alleviating the downy mildew concerns growers had in hangover from the 2023 season.
“Soil temperatures were quick to pick up, which also meant growers staved off the risk of chlorosis brought on by nutrient deficiencies.”
Mr Derrico said possibly the most challenging and abnormal part of the season was around Christmas, which is when the region experienced significant concentrated rainfall.
He says between Christmas and Australia Day more than 200mm fell, which is unusual for the region, with January generally being its driest month.
However, the brief spell of rain was enough to lift irrigation pressure in January, resulting in lower water use for the entire season.
Murray Darling and Swan Hill together accounted for 22 per cent of the national reported crush – 28 per cent of the white crush and 16 per cent of the red crush.
Victoria accounted for 58 per cent of the Murray Darling – Swan Hill crush, up from 53 per cent in 2023.
Purchased grapes accounted for 70 per cent of the crush from region in 2024 compared with 68 per cent in 2023.
In NSW, purchased grapes accounted for 42 per cent of the local crush, down from 63 per cent in 2023.
The crush of winery-owned fruit in Murray Darling – Swan Hill increased by 67 per cent compared with the very low 2023 crush, while the crush of grapes purchased from independent growers increased by 22 per cent.
The biggest increase came from winery-grown tonnes from the NSW side of the river GIs (up 93 per cent).
The crush of red grapes was up by 15 per cent overall, while the white crush increased by 55 per cent, causing the white share of the total crush to increase from 57 per cent in 2023 to 64 per cent.
