2.1 Study area This report covers grapevine plantings in the Lower Murray Darling region of Victoria <strong>and</strong> New South Wales (Figure 1). The study area is referred to as the ‘Murray Valley’ in this report. It encompasses the Murray Darling <strong>and</strong> Swan Hill wine regions as well as plantings along the Darling River upstream to Menindee. Figure 1: Map of the study area SunRISE Mapping & Research <strong>Grape</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>Analysis</strong> Page 10 of 65
2.2 Project background <strong>and</strong> consultant’s brief Irrigated horticulture in the Lower Murray Darling is recovering from a decade of extreme conditions. New export market opportunities are fuelling confidence in the industry, with redevelopment <strong>and</strong> new investment occurring across different irrigated commodities, <strong>and</strong> rapid expansion particularly in table grape varieties. Accurate <strong>and</strong> detailed industry data is required to in<strong>for</strong>m investment <strong>and</strong> redevelopment. With the promise of modernised irrigation delivery in the Older Irrigated Areas of Merbein, Mildura <strong>and</strong> Red Cliffs, this in<strong>for</strong>mation will be critical to redevelopment <strong>and</strong> new investment in viticulture. The launch of the National Food Plan a nd its focus on Asia, will also deliver new investment into horticultural production as markets grow into the next decade. Changes to plantings in each industry (investments, redevelopment) will underlie the economic success of each industry. Clarity on plantings is required to in<strong>for</strong>m decision making, paramount to a sustainable recovery, avoidance of another ‘boom <strong>and</strong> bust’ scenario, <strong>and</strong> sustainable growth within each industry. Significant changes in planting areas, varieties, water use, rootstocks, property numbers <strong>and</strong> size, <strong>and</strong> irrigation methods are already evident across the region’s horticulture (Mallee CMA 2012 Crop Report <strong>and</strong> 2012 Irrigated Horticulture of the Lower Murray-Darling (SunRISE 21, 2012)) although those Crop Reports did not provide analysis to the grape variety level. Similarly, data on grape plantings from the state government, industry bodies <strong>and</strong> ABS census data are not available to the variety level. Each of the Murray Darling grape industry sectors has conducted their own analyses, but not using consistent types or sources of in<strong>for</strong>mation. This report represents the first coordinated analysis of data to the grape variety level, including irrigation <strong>and</strong> cultural management details. The SunRISE crop database includes planting details from 1997 to 2014. The crop mapping provides accurate areas as it is based on a time series of high resolution orthophoto imagery (scale accurate, digital, aerial photography). Crop details, such as crop type, area <strong>and</strong> irrigation method, are derived from input from irrigators, field surveys <strong>and</strong> visual interpretation of the imagery. The analysis encompasses grape plantings in the lower Murray-Darling region of Victoria <strong>and</strong> New South Wales (Figure 1). The region is referred to as the ‘Murray Valley’ in this report. 2014 planting data is compared in this report with data from 1997, 2003, 2006 <strong>and</strong> 2009. The Brief SunRISE Mapping <strong>and</strong> Research was contracted to collect, collate <strong>and</strong> report on: 1. grape variety data in collaboration with dried, wine <strong>and</strong> table grape growers <strong>and</strong> industry groups, with at least 80% of each industry surveyed to the variety level 2. changes in plantings between 1997 <strong>and</strong> 2014, by variety, property numbers & size, vine ages, irrigation methods, rootstocks <strong>and</strong> new plantings <strong>for</strong> each of the three industries (wine, table & dried) 3. average production <strong>and</strong> crop (farm gate) values 4. production projections <strong>for</strong> dominant varieties, <strong>and</strong> by seasonality <strong>for</strong> table grapes SunRISE Mapping & Research <strong>Grape</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>Analysis</strong> Page 11 of 65
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