In a ceremony held on Saturday (16), at Vinícola Campestre, in Vacaria, governor Eduardo Leite officially opened the grape harvest in the state. The largest national producer of grapes and wine in the country, Rio Grande do Sul is expected to harvest a smaller volume of 10% this year compared to that produced in 2018, when the harvest was 663.2 million kilos, according to projections from the Brazilian Wine Institute ( Ibravin). Despite the hail that hit the Rio Grande do Sul vineyards, the vice-president of the Associação Gaúcha de Vinicultores (AGAVI) and director of Vinícola Campestre, João Zanotto recalled that in some regions of the state, such as Campos de Cima da Serra, the situation was a little different.
“In this region, the winter was very harsh and we had no stones, which should allow us to have an excellent grape harvest this year, especially with the merlot, sauvignon blanc and pinot noir varieties, being the varieties that have best adapted to this region of the fields. from the top of the mountain.” The Campos de Cima da Serra region alone, made up of 11 municipalities, is expected to harvest almost 30 million kilos this harvest.
During the visit to the new facilities at Vinícola Campestre, the governor reinforced the importance of the primary sector: “We know that, especially in the case of grapes, there were complicated episodes, including hailstorms, which affected production, but the people of Rio Grande do Sul , resilient and willing to work, still guarantees an important harvest. Therefore, we are here to celebrate this ability to overcome and value those who produce for our state”.
The vineyards occupy almost 50 thousand hectares in Rio Grande do Sul, responsible for 90% of national production. The activity generates R$ 3.5 billion per year in the state and directly involves 15 thousand small farming families. There are already 138 types of grapes cultivated.
Source: agrolink | Author: AGROLINK WITH INF. ADVISORY
