Some ideas on how to increase the profitability of NS vineyards

By JOHN LEWIS
I just finished reading the December issue of the "Fruit Growers News" and there was an interesting article by Dick Lehnert on research by Tom Zabadel of Michigan State University. Zabadel is looking at ways to improve the profitability of juice grape production and it occurred to me that many of his ideas were equally applicable to wine grape production. With contract production here in Nova Scotia hovering at break-even, ideas that would improve the profitability equation would be welcome and further support the province's expanding wine grape industry.
Zabadel states that because costs of production are largely fixed on a per-acre basis, increasing yields would reduce costs per ton and thereby improve profitability. Well that sounds simple enough but boosting yields isn't as easy as you think-or is it? Zabadel is testing a combination of four vineyard adjustments that he thinks can collectively double yields without increasing production costs. These include the following:
• Reduce the row spacing
• Convert to a two-tier training system
• Increase the number of vines per row
• Use shoot positioning to increase bud fruitfulness
Row spacing is typically 10 feet in Nova Scotia vineyards and reducing to 9 feet should not present a problem and would increase yields by 10% due to a direct increase in the number of vines per acre. A two-tier (or vertically divided) training system such as 'Scott Henry' would allow the grower to retain more buds/vine and thereby achieve greater yield potential by perhaps another 25%. The Scott Henry training system has not been widely tested in the province but makes sense for our many high vigour vineyards and offers an excellent option for controlling this vigour through higher yields while maintaining fruit quality.
Many Nova Scotia wine grape producers are forced to use wide vine spacing in rows due to the vigour problem noted above. By converting to a two-tier training system such as Scott Henry and retaining more buds during spring pruning, the grower should have less problem with vigour and be able to plant vines closer together. More vines per row should translate into more yield per acre by perhaps another 15%.
Producers currently use shoot positioning to maximize fruit quality, more important in wine making, and as such this suggestion would not apply to most Nova Scotia vineyards; however, the other three suggestions are worth considering and could result in a collective yield increase of as much as 50%.
These ideas make sense but have not been validated under Nova Scotia conditions. If you do decide to make changes start slowly and make sure they have the intended benefits before expanding significantly. In the meantime, enjoy your wine!
For more information contact John at (902) 678-7722 or j.lewis@agrapoint.ca