Washington grape prices predicted to increase
The price of Washington grapes is likely to go up next year, despite the acreage dedicated to grape production in the state increasing to nearly 60,000 acres. However, worldwide supplies have been hit by poor harvests, particularly in Europe.
“The message I keep hearing is that things are looking up.” said Trent Ball, the agriculture programme chair at Yakima Valley College who compiles statistics on the state of the grape industry every year.
“I love to deliver good news," he added, speaking at the annual Washington State Grape Society annual meeting on Friday
However, Washington State University viticulture extension specialist Michelle Moyer, said that fungicide resistance could have played a significant part in this year’s mildew problems for wine grape growers.
After collecting 260 mildew samples from different vineyards across the state during the season she found that 95% showed resistance to strobulin fungicides, also known as the Frac 11 fungicide group.
“That’s not good at all,” she said. Vineyards with neighbouring cherry and apple orchards appear to be particularly at risk, because drift from fungicides sprayed in those orchards can add to the selection pressure pushing the mildew to develop resistance.
For affected vineyards she recommended taking an off year from Frac 11 fungicide use if possible, or using it early in the season when mildew populations are smaller.
“Don’t spray high risk fungicides at the need of the growing season. There’s a lot of mildew in vineyards late in the season and you have a higher risk of selecting for those resistant individuals.”