There are fears that ‘grape’ nomads could stop visiting Western Australia’s Swan Valley if more isn’t done to protect the area’s scenic vineyards … and if growers aren’t compensated for supplying the ‘view’.
Industry experts are warning that the region’s $430 million tourism industry is largely dependent on grey nomads and other visitors enjoying rural scenery of rolling grape vines, close to the city … and that ‘scene’ is in severe danger.
The table grape producers’ committee chair of the Agricultural Produce Commission, Tony Kundid, told the ABC that the amount of land under vine in the valley had already shrunk from 4,000 hectares in 1995 to around 1,000 hectares now. He said grape plantings were moving further out from the city to larger and more affordable plots of land, and that it was time the total value of a grape vine was recognised.
“The future for growing grapes in the Swan Valley is probably significantly diminished because of the demographic of growers, most of us are reaching or close to reaching retirement age,” he told the ABC. “What we will end up doing is pulling out our vines and leaving the land fallow … then there’s no greenery, which ultimately will mean that people won’t visit the Swan Valley.”
He said the grape growers were ‘just unpaid, glorified gardeners’, and that growers needed to be given incentives to keep their vines in the ground.
“The productive value of a grapevine is far less than its real value to the community,” he said. “Somehow that’s got to be given back to grape growers.”
Grape Growers Association of WA president and Swan Valley grower, Kevin Peterson, echoed the sentiments.
“Tourists enjoy a lovely green outlook and enjoy the Swan Valley, but at the same time somebody has got to be nursing and tending to those grape vines that are being grown in the valley,” he told the ABC.
Both growers called for a whole-of-government approach to planning the future of the Swan Valley.
Grape growers are farmers. Do we subsidise other types of farmers? Do we subsidise home owners who keep a nice garden or decorate their homes with Christmas lights?
If growing grapes is unprofitable then either streamline your business or try growing something more profitable. After all, it is only a business … a business that they chose and it’s nobody else’s responsibility for it’s success!
Having said that, the Free Trade Agreement that we have agreed to does make it difficult to compete on the world stage and should be restructured a bit more equitably, but that’s another topic entirely.
“Tourists enjoy a lovely green outlook and enjoy the Swan Valley, but at the same time somebody has got to be nursing and tending to those grape vines that are being grown in the valley,” he told the ABC.
Oh yes ,and we give away the wine for free , gimme a brake!
No that is life
No
Vineyards are not appealing
Agree, often over rated & over priced. Happy to leave it all to those who want to be seen “doing the wineries” :):):)
Also remember there is always the “Mark Up” river region down south to help make them rich with their little hobby vineyards 😉