Catalonia grape harvest sees 63% increase in volume

The grape harvest in Catalonia is progressing at a rapid pace, with 126.8 million kilograms of grapes already delivered to wineries. This represents a 63% increase compared to the same period last year. Varieties such as Macabeu and Xarel·lo are leading the harvest, with Macabeu seeing 53.6 million kilograms processed.

While production volumes are high due to favorable winter rains and support irrigation, the wine industry faces significant economic challenges. Producers are dealing with market saturation and falling wine sales, which has led to uncertainty regarding grape purchase prices. In regions like Terra Alta, there are calls for 'green harvesting' and distillation to manage excess stock and help regulate the market.

Climate change is also significantly impacting the sector. Viticulturists report that rising temperatures and drought have advanced the harvest schedule by nearly a month over the last decade. Farmers are now forced to begin harvesting in early August to prevent vines from dehydrating and losing quality by late August or early September.