MONEY IN AUSTRALIAN GRAPES

Hokitika Guardian, 21 December 1920, Page 1

MONEY IN AUSTRALIAN GRAPES

AN EXPERT’S EVIDENCE

SYDNEY, ' December 8.

There is money in the wine industry in this country, according to the evidence given by Mr H. E. hqffer, viticultural expert, to j’enfold Wines, Limited, before a select Parliamentary Comjmittee. Witness said that an acre of vines in full bearing produced two tons of grapes' a- year and these yielded. 300 gallons of wine, worth from 4s to 5s per gallon. The gross return front the grapes, therefore, would he from £IBOO to £2250. The working, expenses, lie reckoned, would be about £6OO, leaving lat least £I7OO as a net return. The capital cost of such a, vineyard, in going order, would be £6OOO and allowing 10 per cent, for interest, taxes etc., the profit to the owner would be | £7QO on the mower scale and £llsO on the higher scale. The witness contended that certain portions of Australia had proved to *bo so well adapted to vinegrowing that no other form of production equalled it in returns per acre. One man could easily manage several acres; ten acres would yield a handsome return. The average quality of Australian wine was very high, the demand from abroad exceeded the supply, and the future of the industry was very bright.

Various pests which formerly threatened to wipe out the Australian vineyards, have been 'successfully overcome. The one menace to the industry is the prohibition movement—also regarded by the viticulturists as a pest—hut there is no doubt that if this so-called reform ever is accepted here, the wine-making industry will be specially exempted by legislation.