(Kelowna) New report says B.C.’s wine industry expects “catastrophic crop losses” of up to 99% of typical grape production due to last January’s intense cold snap .
A February report from the British Columbia Vintners’ Association and consulting firm Cascadia Partners says that preliminary industry estimates suggest the vines will produce only one to three per cent of the typical yields of ” “wine grapes”, coming mainly from the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island, with a relatively mild climate.
The resulting loss of grape and wine production – described by the report as “an almost complete cancellation of the 2024 vintage” – is expected to result in revenue losses of up to $346 million for vineyards and wineries.
The industry also expects an additional loss of revenue of up to 99 million for suppliers, logistics providers and distributors.
The report says the arctic weather that hit the province in January plunged temperatures “well below” -20C in the Okanagan Valley, home to 86 per cent of B.C.’s wine-growing area. .
Wine grape growers say the January cold snap was particularly damaging because of the relatively mild winter that preceded it – an argument echoed by other agricultural producers, including cherries.
The winegrowers’ association report said experts began assessing the damage caused by the cold snap shortly after the weather event, and the results “confirmed the industry’s worst fears” with ” the vast majority” of bud samples showing no signs of life.
“Due to the extent of the damage, appropriate pruning practices will be ineffective in mitigating serious crop losses,” the report states.
“Longer term impacts on vine health, including the need for replanting, are also anticipated, but can only be accurately estimated later in the year. »
British Columbia viticulturists and winegrowers also recall that yields were undermined by intense cold for a second consecutive year.
According to the BC Vintners’ Association’s crop assessment, the previous winter’s cold spell in late 2022 and early 2023 resulted in a 58% reduction in grape production. grapes and wine throughout the province last year.
The new report warns that the January 2024 cold snap is “even more severe” due to its duration – with parts of the North Okanagan having experienced more than 50 cumulative hours below -20C.