He Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP) analyzes extending the agricultural emergency for farmers and some areas of Black river that were strongly affected by the rains and winds that this week hit a large part of Uruguay. The harvest was affected by weather conditions and the quality of the table wines is expected to be lower.
“The rains accumulated. It is one of the most important rains in the last three years. We went from the scarcity a year ago, when we were looking at how much Severino Pass until it is completely overwhelmed. One of the most important crescents of the St. Lucia in many years,” said the head of the MGAP, Fernando Mattos, at a press conference. In that sense, he indicated that from the center of the country downwards, the rains were above average and exceeded 300 liters per square meter in some cases.
Fortunately, the damage to production, unlike last year, is punctual: particularly in the farm and, above all, in the vineyards.
“We are still deliberating but it will probably be decided extension of the agricultural emergency for the farm sector exclusively for 30 more days, until April 30,” Mattos reported in this regard. The emergency for this sector was in force until the end of the month; it began due to drought and now continues due to excess rain.
It will also cover other areas on the coast, since “some sections of Black river “where last weekend there were intense winds and where some crops were affected, some dairy production infrastructure facilities were also affected.”
In any case, Mattos pointed out that it is still early to estimate damage because more rain is also expected in the coming days.
The consequences in the vineyards
This week’s rains also affected grape plantations and, consequently, the quality of this year’s table wines could be lower due to excess water. In this context, producers will rush the harvest these days before the rainfall continues.
“Here it rained 200-250 millimeters, which means we couldn’t harvest. Everything about the harvest delayed us, it diluted what we were looking for to be able to reach a potential alcohol to have good sweetness in the sugars and good acidity. That Everything was diluted and now the growth of fungi begins, which lowers our quality,” the wine producer explained to Telemundo. Nicolás Monforte.
Half of the grapes were affected. The white and inks for preferential and premium quality wines they were cut well, but those that were left to make common wines are not going to turn out as good.
“We are going to lose a little bit of color and a little bit of potential final alcohol in the more table wines but, in general, the bulk of the viticulture came in well, the whites came in impeccably. The first reds for the premium and vcp lines came in very good. Perhaps for table wines, the tetras are going to be a little more diluted, not as concentrated,” Monforte explained.
In any case, there is time if the cutting of the clusters is hurried.
Source: Ambito
