Vineyard expansion slows down in 2009

Last year, the area where grapevines are grown was expanded by 4 hectares (ha). Between 2003 and 2009, the average annual increase was 21.5 ha. The number of winegrowers also increased less rapidly (by only 6 in 2009) than in the prior years.

Marginal vineyard expansion

The area used for the cultivation of grapevines in the Netherlands totalled 147 ha in 2009, an increase by 4 ha relative to 2008, as against 38 ha in 2008 from 2007.

In 2009, there were 87 commercial enterprises engaged in the production of wine in the Netherlands versus 30 six years ago. The province of Gelderland has 27 winegrowers, the highest number of all Dutch provinces, followed by the provinces of Limburg and Overijssel with 16 and 11 respectively.

Number of winegrowers, main provinces

Minor regional changes

With 3 ha, the province of South Holland had the largest vineyard expansion in 2009, followed by Drenthe and Zeeland each with 2 ha. In each of the provinces of Gelderland and Limburg, the area used for cultivation of wine grapes was reduced by 2 ha. Dutch vineyards produced nearly 750 bottles of wine in 2009.

Cultivation area wine grapes, main provinces

Firm increase in eastern part of the country

Over the period 2003-2009, the share of Overijssel and Gelderland in the total vineyard area in the Netherlands has risen from 13 to 53 percent. This is mainly caused by the expansion of vineyards in Gelderland. The shares of the three southernmost provinces declined from 70 to 34 percent over the same period.

Average vineyard covers 1.7 ha

The total area covered by vineyards has increased from 36 ha in 2003 to 147 ha in 2009. The average vineyard covered an area of 1.7 ha in 2009 versus 1.2 ha in 2003. The largest vineyards are found in Gelderland, where the average vineyard covers 2.1 ha.

Wim de Rooij

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