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Grape growers see red over wine prices
30 Jun 2004
Sunraysia wine grape growers are angry about a price cut of $300 a tonne for their grapes this vintage. About 80 growers under contract to McGuigan Simeon Wines said they felt betrayed by the company when they received letters saying they would receive $300 a tonne less than last year for cabernet, sauvignon, merlot and shiraz grapes, despite delivering grapes of higher average quality.
In January, McGuigan Simeon said it would pay an average of $300 a tonne for cabernet sauvignon, $400 for merlot and $500 for shiraz. After objections by growers, the company increased chardonnay and shiraz prices by $100 and $50 a tonne respectively. But last month red grape prices were slashed.
MD Brian McGuigan met with growers last week in Mildura. He said he was embarrassed by current wine grape prices but growers must accept they're part of the wine industry and subject to the same cycles as winemakers.
Weekly Times, 30/6/04, page 7.
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