A revealing paragraph in the editorial of the March 2002 issue of the Murray Valley Winegrape Growers’ Grapevine explains more than most about the polarized nature of the wine industry at the commercial end of the scale. It reads: ‘It is argued that declining (grape) prices simply reflect supply/demand. This is true, of course, to some extent, but that is no excuse for behaviour that has the potential to sour relations between growers and wineries. The wheel will turn and any winery interested in fostering beneficial long-term relationships with growers should consider the ramifications of exploitation. And the same applies to growers when prices are buoyant.’ The issue also predicts that around 15,000 tonnes will remain unsold in the Murray Valley. Unconfirmed estimates range around 50,000 tonnes of unsold fruit nationally in 2002, equating to about 3% of the entire national crop, or 5% of the ‘warm climate’ harvest.
