It started raining in Italian grape-producing region Puglia three weeks ago, and it has not stopped since. “It rained nonstop last week as well, and especially the lower-lying plantations have flooded,” says Lucien de Wit, who visited the area last week.
De Wit distinguishes between outdoor grapes and tunnel grapes. “The outdoor grapes have all been lost, and about 30 to 40 per cent of the tunnel grapes have been lost as well. We also have significant damage due to botrytis caused by the rain,” the importer explains.
Left: botrytis in the grapes after heavy rainfall
Right: Checking quality and picking leaves for later harvest
“Until December, mainly Italia and Red Globe grapes will be harvested. It has been disastrous for the cultivators concerned, some of them have lost complete harvests,” De Wit says.
Lucien de Wit and Giovanni Bertoli (Bertoli Fruit), and his partners Antonio (Sapa Fruit) and Mario (G.S.M.)
Yet De Wit does not expect enormous grape shortages on the market. “We will have fewer volumes from Puglia, but there will still be plenty of grapes on the market. Prices will recover, you can already see that now with the Sicilian grapes.”
Many new plants in Puglia
Luciën de Wit
T: +31 (0)6 41 27 34 43
E: lahdewit@icloud.com