Belgian grape growing holds a unique position that many other product sectors might envy, yet it still gives growers reason for concern. This is mainly because demand far exceeds supply. "We're now a month away from the start of the season, and I'm already getting many questions about when our first grapes will be available again," explains Philip Dewit of Druiven Dewit, one of the country's largest remaining grape growers.
You might think this makes it an attractive business to enter. But nothing could be further from the truth. Philip and his son Koen grow grapes in Overijse, Flanders, a region with a long-standing grape-growing tradition, but one that's now at risk of decline. "There are only seven growers left. One person wants to start up, but is struggling to get the necessary permits. I still hope it goes ahead, because we'd much rather be ten to twenty growers than just two. If there's no longer any attention for this beautiful product, people will eventually forget about it."
Barriers
Plenty of reason, then, to encourage new entrants. "But it's not that simple. The municipality does offer grape-growing courses, but they are primarily intended for hobbyists. There's simply no demand from the professional side. It takes around seven years before you see any yield. Yet you begin investing from the very beginning, because even in the first few years—when there are barely any bunches—you already have to start heating. That's a major investment before you can even think about being profitable."
These challenges are unfortunate, Philip argues, especially since consumer interest is more than sufficient. "Even though people know we start around the same time every year, they still try early. Lately, we've been getting inquiries already, just because the weather has been nice. People don't realise that we might start a few days earlier, but not a whole month. Once you explain that, they understand. It's only positive for us that the appetite is already there."
Does this have anything to do with issues in the imported grape market?
"No, that's completely unrelated. It's a different business altogether. Those were challenges we had to deal with thirty years ago, but not anymore. Today, we have a niche product, so there's virtually no competition. I've often said maybe we should call our grapes something else entirely, because they're just a different kind of grape. That's better for us, and also for those working with imported grapes."
Water reserve
Looking ahead to the new season, Philip is optimistic. "It's shaping up well. The warm temperatures have meant we haven't had to heat as much, and the grapes are thriving. As long as it doesn't go above 30 degrees, because that's when they begin to suffer, just like people. In that case, we have to make sure they get enough water, but that's not a problem. We have a large water reserve and are also allowed to pump from a borehole here, which hasn't run dry yet. You do notice the weather is becoming more unpredictable. Some years we don't need to use the reserve at all, and other years we face shortages. That's only going to become more common in the coming years. Two years ago, we had our first-ever week of 40-degree temperatures. We genuinely didn't know what to expect. But even that eventually worked out fine with daily watering. Still, we should expect more situations like that in the future."
For more information:
Philip Dewit
Druiven Dewit 
Brusselsesteenweg 262
3090 Overijse, Belgium
+32(0)478 54 24 55
[email protected]
www.druivendewit.be
www.facebook.com/DruivenDewitOverijse