About to complete 93 years of history, Cooperativa Vinícola Aurora began receiving the 2024 harvest with the projection of harvesting 63 million kilos of grapes by March. Volume is expected to be 2,5% below the average of the last 10 years. In comparison with the 2023 harvest, the reduction is 10,6% and was caused by the climatic effects of the El Niño phenomenon in Serra Gaúcha. In the last decade, the annual average volume was 64,4 million kilos, with the largest harvest recorded being in 2021 (90 million) and the smallest volume in 2016 (33,6 million).
This week, deliveries of the wine varieties Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Malvasia from Cândia Aromática and the American and hybrid varieties BRS Magna, BRS Violeta, Bordô and Isabel Precoce are scheduled. For the next fortnight, varieties such as Riesling Itálico, Egiodola and Viognier should be harvested.
The Agricultural Manager of Cooperativa Vinícola Aurora, Maurício Bonafé, informs that this week the volumes received are still low compared to the first weeks of February. He says that the daily average is around 200 thousand kilos, but that next week this volume should be increased to almost 1 million per day.
“At the height of the harvest, in February, we received up to 2,5 million kilos per day. This entire operation is carried out at scheduled times to preserve the quality of the raw material and so that we can process the grapes in the shortest possible time”, explains Bonafé.
The manager adds that the quality and health of the grapes in this harvest are within standards, with emphasis on the Chardonnay variety used to make sparkling wines and the grapes that are destined for whole juice.
“Charddonay has an excellent level of acidity and brix, ideal for the production of sparkling wines, while varieties such as Magna, Violeta and Bordô have an excellent standard of color and health for the production of one of our main products in volume, which is whole grape juice”, guarantees Bonafé.
Aurora is the largest Brazilian wine cooperative and accounts for around 10% of Rio Grande do Sul's fruit harvest for processing. Around 75% are American and hybrid varieties, intended for whole grape juices and table wines, and 25% are vitis viniferas, used in the production of fine and sparkling wines.
The company developed a program to accelerate the replacement of old 20-kilo boxes with bins with a capacity of up to half a ton. The initiative aims to help with the entire process, from harvesting on the properties of 1,1 members, to delivery at the three receiving units (Headquarters, Vale dos Vinhedos and unit 2), in Bento Gonçalves (RS).
Currently, 85% of the volume of grapes is already harvested by cooperative producers with the help of equipment that is loaded with forklifts and which reduces excessive effort during the harvest, in addition to reducing the need for hired labor.
“In the next three years we will have all the harvest carried out with the help of bins. The main benefit is the health and well-being of winegrowers. Furthermore, producers are still adapting to the Good Agricultural Practices Program and the operational restructuring of the cooperative, as it reduces unloading time, the use of temporary labor and the loss of must on the route between the property and the winery. ”, explains Bonafé.
Throughout 2023, Cooperativa Vinícola Aurora worked to provide members with all the necessary support for this year's harvest. Within the Good Agricultural Practices program, the company guided winegrowers on aspects such as the requirement for formal hiring of temporary workers and accommodation conditions.
To this end, all 1,1 members received technical visits from the agricultural team, with guidance on the necessary adjustments and constructions to comply with the standards that guarantee fair and decent working conditions, both for the winegrowers themselves and for the temporary employees.
The president of the Board of Directors of Cooperativa Vinícola Aurora, Renê Tonello, reinforces the company's commitment to achieving safe and fair working conditions on its members' rural properties.
“We have an average hiring of 3 to 4 people per rural property and we want the harvest to go as smoothly as possible. All cooperative members received assistance with the procedures for hiring workers, guidance on the use of personal protective equipment, as well as instructions on working hours and other precautions that the winegrower needs to take”, he concludes.
Production by cooperative winegrowers is carried out in 11 municipalities in Serra Gaúcha. There are 2,8 thousand hectares of area cultivated by 1,1 thousand family producers in Bento Gonçalves, Veranópolis, São Valentim do Sul, Guaporé, Cotiporã, Monte Belo do Sul, Santa Tereza, Pinto Bandeira, Vila Flores, Farroupilha and Garibaldi. 56 varieties of grapes are produced. Among the main ones are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (vitis viniferas) and Isabel, Concord, Seibel and Bordô (American and hybrids).
2014 - 57 million
2015 - 65,5 million
2016 - 33,6 million
2017 - 71,5 million
2018 - 61,8 million
2019 - 68,2 million
2020 - 61,9 million
2021 - 90 million
2022 - 66 million
2023 – 70,5 million
* (kilos of grapes)
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