New Hope for a Reversal amid Declining Wine Production

The decline in Hungarian grape production may halt, but climate change could cause significant damage to vineyards, believes Syngenta, a leading science-based agriculture company.

The Swiss agricultural company’s analysis pointed out that the decline in grape-growing areas has continued in Hungary in recent years: over the past five years, the total area of vineyards has decreased by nearly 5,000 hectares.

Based on data from the National Council of Mountain Communities, there are currently around 58,000 hectares of officially registered vineyards in Hungary.

However, the industry is confident that the unfavorable trend will reverse, and that in the future, the rate of planting will once again exceed that of clearing, emphasized Zoltán Varga, Syngenta’s product manager.

Grape development was slow during the spring, with fertility problems mainly affecting early varieties. In 2024, 3.73 million quintals of grapes were harvested nationwide, which is about 11 percent below the average for the last ten years. This year’s outlook is greatly influenced by extreme weather conditions, especially periods of drought, hence experts do not expect a record harvest this year either. However, they added that well-timed protection against pests and pathogens could help prevent or at least mitigate damage. Powdery mildew is the biggest challenge this year, but those who have adhered to strict plant protection measures are not currently experiencing any problems. Protection against grapevine leafhoppers is critical in western Hungary in the coming weeks; however, if drought conditions continue, further protection may not be needed.

Varga pointed out that in terms of quality, Hungarian grapes can compete with foreign varieties. At the same time, he noted that it would be very important for domestic sales to increase in order for the sector to remain sustainable and economically viable in the long term.

Via MTI; Featured photo: Pexels