Extreme heat, tourism hitting Croatian wineries hard

ZAGREB, 25 Aug (Hina) – Extreme temperatures are threatening global grape production, which affects global wine production, leading to a 10% fall in 2023, the lowest level in over 60 years, the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) says and reports that Croatia’s wine production fell over 40% in 2023.

Greek wine production fell by over a third in 2023, while production in Italy and Spain dropped by more than a fifth, according to the OIV.

The OIV says Croatia produced 426,000 hectolitres of wine last year, 41.3% less than in 2022, accounting for 0.2% of total global production.

During the same period, Croatia imported 246,000 hectolitres of wine, a 0.4% increase compared to 2022, while exports were 40,000 hectolitres, a 13% decrease.

These figures place Croatia as the 28th largest wine producer in the world, the 42nd largest exporter, and the 37th largest importer.

Wineries in Southern Europe are increasingly exposed to adverse weather conditions, including drought, heavy rains, and early frost.

Additionally, a stronger tourism sector has led to shifts in labour and investments from traditional agricultural jobs to those in the hospitality sector.

The challenges facing winemakers prompted the EU last month to launch a group dedicated to addressing wine-related measures and to discuss the challenges and opportunities for the sector. 

This group, which will bring together EU representatives and industry investors, is expected to meet for the first time next month and at least three more times this year, with recommendations to be presented by early 2025.

There is hope that such measures could mitigate some of the biggest risks facing the industry, which employs around three million people in the EU and contributes an estimated €130 billion to the EU’s GDP.