Washington Wine Grape Production Up

Washington Wine Grape Production Up. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

2013 was a banner year for the wine grape industry in Washington State. According to the latest preliminary figures from the National Ag Statistics Service, Washington’s 2013 wine grape production totaled 210,000 tons, up 12 percent from 2012. Overall, production of red varieties was up 13 percent from last year compared to a 10 percent increase in the production of white varieties. Of the top four producing varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon showed the largest increase, up 19 percent from 2012. Growers received an average of $1,110 per ton for all varieties in 2013, up $70 from last year. Of all the published varieties, Grenache received the highest price per ton at $1,889. White varieties in 2013 accounted for 49 percent of the total production, a slight decrease from 2012. Cabernet Sauvignon was the top producing variety grown in the State at 42,600 tons or 20 percent of the total. Chardonnay was ranked second, White Riesling ranked third and Merlot ranked fourth. The average Cabernet Sauvignon price increased $103 per ton from last year and the average Chardonnay price was up $12 per ton from 2012. Growers received an average of $796 per ton for White Riesling, $13 more than 2012. The average Merlot price per ton increased $82 per ton from last year.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.