Articolo disponibile anche in: Italian
Heat and lack of water are quickening the maturation of the grapes, which, although risking the possibility of losing aroma, are still qualitatively excellent as of today.
But the drought is also causing indirect consequences by causing an increment in the number of thirsty wild boar and deer in the Tuscan countryside who thirstily attack unripened grapes.
According to an estimate of the Confagricoltura Toscana the damage to wine production in Tuscany is around €20 million.
“It is a disastrous situation, because even the fencing which farmers have placed around the vineyards, in addition to having a notable impact on the landscape, function in only a marginal manner,” explains Francesco Colpizzi, president of the Federazione Vitivinicola di Confagricoltura Toscana.
“The number of hooved animals grows exponentially – he continues – and when facing thirst they eat the fruit by attacking the barriers which are there to keep them away. Even the use of repellents in these conditions represents an unsuccessful type of prevention with only modest results”.
While waiting for provisions to reduce the population of these animals within a sustainable limit, farmers in the countryside are treating the land in order to limit damage by the drought.
“We hope that after this wave of heat the plants will get a bit of relief. In some areas the ripening process is ahead by at least 20 days. The arrival of rain is essential to attain a balanced maturation” concludes Colpizzi.
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