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Because German winegrowers expect more frequent damage from late frosts, hail or drought due to the consequences of climate change, they are calling for support from politicians. There must be risk management, for example with multi-peril insurance, demanded Hermann Hohl, President of the Württemberg Winegrowers' Association, in an interview with the Deutsche Preseagentur (dpa).
The problem, however, is the financing of the insurance. "Agriculture and viticulture do not want to appear as supplicants if a major damage occurs," Hohl told dpa. They are willing to pay premiums, but the federal states and the federal government should contribute to the financing. For quite some time, farmers have been demanding to be able to build up a tax-free reserve for difficult times in good years. This was also the wish of the Württemberg winegrowers, said the President.
According to dpa, support also comes from the Baden Winegrowers' Association. Managing Director Peter Wohlfahrth had referred to talks with the EU and the state's intention to participate in insurance policies. For the Baden-Württemberg Minister for Rural Areas, Peter Hauk (CDU), climate change requires "individual farm risk management". For him, this includes a tax-based risk compensation reserve and "state support for multi-peril insurance policies, also by the federal government".
To avoid frost and drought damage, winegrowers could install sprinkler systems. However, they would also need help from the state, the federal government and the EU. "This will be considerably more expensive because we have to work with buffer basins, we don't get access to the groundwater," Hauk told dpa. This would require investments in the millions, which the wine industry alone would not be able to finance.
In addition, the winegrowers would have to pay more attention in future to which grape variety is cultivated where. According to Hohl, only the highest and thus cooler vineyards in Württemberg are suitable for Riesling.
(uka / Photo: German Wine Institute)