Help on offer for grapegrowers

A NEW round of a rebate for grape growers to trial resting their vineyards has been launched for the 2025-26 growing season, assisting grape growers to cut production costs.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) is undertaking a third round of support for the rebate to support growers to trial Ethephon, to rest their red wine vineyards. This has been advocated by the Wine Grape Council of SA.

Growers can apply for a $40 rebate for each hectare sprayed to cover the cost of Ethephon for up to 1,000 hectares per ABN. The rebate can be accessed for Ethephon purchased from 1 July 2025 to 31 January 2026.

If growers do not expect to sell their fruit, it is estimated that they can save up to $2000 per hectare in input, water, and management costs by resting their vineyards.

The wine sector continues to experience an oversupply of wine grapes which is depressing prices along the supply chain.

South Australian Primary Industries Minister Clare Scriven said grape growers across South Australia have expressed concerns with managing their vineyards in the face of oversupply.

“SARDI research has shown that resting vines prevents waste of unharvested fruit in vineyards and mitigates risks with associated pest and disease pressures,” Minister Scriven said. “I encourage them to look at vineyard resting and accessing the Ethephon rebate to reduce those costs.”

Wine Grape Council of South Australia CEO Lisa Bennier said the support was a positive outcome for South Australian grape growers.

“With the rebate now available, we hope uncontracted growers will consider resting their vineyards to reduce costs,” she said. “We appreciate the Government’s continued backing during these tough market conditions.”

Growers who do not have viable pricing, or do not have a contract for their 2026 crop can consider resting their vineyards. This reduces vineyard management costs, fertiliser and spray applications, minimises the use of valuable irrigation water, and prevents wastage of unharvested fruit in vineyards and associated pest and disease pressures.

It can also buy some time for growers to evaluate and make decisions on future viability of their vineyards.

South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), Riverland Wine and The Australian Wine Research Institute delivered a range of resources from July 2025 to provide information to growers considering resting vines for the 2025-26 growing season.

Research undertaken by SARDI in collaboration with Wine Australia demonstrated that the application of the plant growth regulator Ethephon was highly effective to reduce yield to the point where harvest was not required.

When applied at the end of flowering, Ethephon reduces the crop while maintaining healthy foliage, which is vital for the vine to store energy to set itself up for the following season. Vines that had been treated with Ethephon returned to commercial yields and no residues were detected in the fruit in the following season.

For more information on the vineyard resting trial and to apply, visit: https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/business-and-trade/primary-industries/vineyard-resting-rebate