| April 3, 2009
Owning Our Ontario Market
(Niagara-on-the-lake, ON) April 3, 2009 – “Owning Our Ontario Market” was the message at the Grape Growers of Ontario’s annual state of the industry address today. Bill George Jr., Chair, and Debbie Zimmerman, CEO of the Grape Growers of Ontario, also provided a 2008 crop summary and current and future initiatives.
“2008 proved to be a challenging year for Ontario grape growers with warm spring temperatures giving way to rain and a cool fall”, says Bill George Jr. “Despite the growing conditions, the harvest of 2008 was one of Ontario’s largest crops”, he added.
The Growers reported the following on the 2008 season:
1. A total 2008 crop of 60,780 tonnes.
2. In dollar value, the 2008 crop translates into a farm gate value of $79.5 million.
3. After the end of a 3-year pricing agreement as per the short crop Memorandum of Understanding, unsuccessful negotiations occurred in July and October with the final ruling decided at Arbitration in the favour of the GGO.
4. The Grape Growers appreciate the Ontario Government’s Grape & Wine Industry Stabilization and Restructuring Strategy/Harvest Program giving the growers $4 million in late October to stabilize the industry while the GGO works with the Wine Council of Ontario, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs, and the Wine Secretariat to complete a sustainability strategy for the sector.
Owning Our Ontario Market:
“The Grape Growers of Ontario’s approach to owning our Ontario market is the belief that wine regulations and industry strategies should aim at selling the Ontario crop at sustainable prices. The Grape Growers of Ontario has a strong interest in ensuring the long-term success of all players in the grape and wine industry,” says George Jr.
The Ontario industry needs wider market access through increases to VQA sales, wider retail distribution of Ontario wines, and more VQA promotion by the LCBO.
“To translate our position into wine sales, Ontario should own its market,” said Debbie Zimmerman. “Ontario wines should represent at least 51% of Ontario wine sales in Ontario as a start. But despite an industry strategy of 50% by 2008, our wines made up just 43% of market share last year.”
The Grape Growers of Ontario is the official organization that represents over 484 actively producing growers of 15,000 acres in the province’s four viticulture areas: Niagara Peninsula, Pelee Island, Lake Erie North Shore and Prince Edward County.
Contacts:
Debbie Zimmerman, CEO
Phone: 905-688-0990 ext. 225
or
Bill George Jr., Chair
Phone: 905-984-0994
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