Sicily viticulture faces crisis from low yields and drought

Viticulture in the province of Trapani, Sicily, is facing a critical crisis characterized by soaring management costs, plummeting yields, and severe drought. Enologist Gaspare Lentini of Cantine Colomba Bianca has warned that local production is becoming unsustainable, with average yields dropping to between 30 and 50 quintals per hectare. This stands in stark contrast to regions like Puglia, where yields can reach 300 quintals per hectare.

Lentini identifies several compounding factors, including the high costs of transport due to Sicily’s insularity, insufficient water supply infrastructure, and the impact of intense heatwaves caused by climate change. He argues that simply increasing the final price of wine is an insufficient solution. Instead, he calls for structural interventions from the European Union, the Italian State, and the Regional government to support businesses, map suitable agricultural areas, and prevent the progressive desertification of the agricultural landscape in western Sicily.