RIVERINA grape growers are ripping up vines in search of new crops as the industry continues to suffer a crippling grape glut.
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Last month, growers in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area received a letter from the Wine Grapes Marketing Board (WGMB) warning them of “limited opportunities” in domestic markets.
The board wrote: “it is the opinion of the board and a number of wineries that grape growers are not likely to receive any increase in their returns in the foreseeable future.”
WGMB chief executive officer Brian Simpson said he had heard anecdotally of growers ripping out their vines to make room for new crops.
“It’s disappointing but there are still plenty out there that growers in this situation can do,” he said.
“There appears to be more opportunities with other crops.”
