After a 28% drop, Aurora estimates a recovery in harvest

A recovery harvest. This is how the largest Brazilian wine cooperative estimates it will harvest more than 70 million kilos of grapes in 2025. The data was collected from the 1,1 members of the Aurora Wine Cooperative and is based on a survey of the current production situation in the 11 municipalities covered by the company in Serra Gaúcha. All properties are located within a radius of approximately 50 kilometers from the main unit in Bento Gonçalves.

Historically, the harvest of Aurora's cooperative members represents between 10% and 15% of the total grapes for processing harvested in Rio Grande do Sul. In 2024, there was a 28,6% crop loss compared to the 2023 harvest, with a volume that reached 50,3 million kilos. This year's estimate is to reach close to what was harvested two years ago (70,5 million kilos).

The first varieties to arrive at the industry, at the end of December, were the hybrids Magna and Violeta. At the beginning of this month, the American varieties Bordô and Isabel Precoce and the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Malvasia Aromática are being received. The harvest should end in the second half of March, with the Moscato Branco and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties.    

The agricultural manager of Cooperativa Vinícola Aurora, Maurício Bonafé, says that the effects of La Niña are milder than expected at the beginning of 2024. According to him, the lack of rain in some periods should not cause significant losses in this harvest.

“All varieties are of very good quality. The climate has helped and the management has resulted in the maximum extraction of the characteristics we need to produce juices, wines and sparkling wines. The grapes for juice should have good color and sugar concentration, the white wine grapes should have an excellent level of acidity and health, and the red grapes also have good quality prospects”, summarizes the manager.

Technology in the field intensifies         

The 2025 harvest is expected to mark the surpassing of Cooperativa Vinícola Aurora's goal of seeking to reduce excessive effort during the harvest. The estimate is that the mechanization of bins (boxes with a capacity of up to 500 kilos, replacing the 20 kilo units) will reach 95% of the harvested volume – the initial goal was 90% for this year. By 2027, all producers should harvest with the aid of the equipment.

In addition to bins, other technologies should be intensified to help producers achieve a recovery harvest. The use of drones for treatment, sprayer adjustment and weather stations are some examples.

The 2025 harvest should also be remembered for the increased use of mechanical harvesters. To this end, Aurora's agricultural team carried out assistance work so that producers could adapt the management of vines to a trellis system.

“We also continued with the Good Agricultural and Labor Practices programs, with year-round monitoring and instructions for 1,1 producers on hiring temporary workers with formal contracts, housing, use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and everything related to production itself. We held meetings with 20 producer groups and meetings with inspectors from the Labor Prosecutor's Office to instruct winemakers on the importance of following the standards of NR-31, which regulates working conditions,” says Bonafé.      

Harvest marked by reconstruction          

As if the losses that occurred in the 2024 harvest due to excessive rainfall in Rio Grande do Sul, which resulted in a 28,6% drop, when 50,3 million kilos of grapes were harvested, were not enough, the biggest climate tragedy experienced by the State in May 2024 should also cause losses to winemaking.

In Aurora alone, 86 properties were affected (7,82% of the total number of members), with 75 hectares affected, at different levels of damage, by landslides resulting from the rains. In terms of volume, there will be approximately 2,5 million kilos of grapes less this harvest.

The agricultural sector team visited all the affected areas and began, in May of last year, welcoming families and providing technical assistance for the reconstruction of vineyards.

In the field, support included the free provision of grapevine seedlings, through a partner company, to associated winegrowers. Aurora's agronomists also prepared more than 40 projects for financing, totaling R$4,5 million, with the National Program for Strengthening Family Farming (Pronaf), for the work of restoring vineyards and other necessary works and items.

Technical consultancy and guidance on reconstruction methods, with a view to reducing losses in future harvests, and permanent contact with winegrowers, monitoring the progress of vineyard reconstruction, are activities carried out continuously.   

“It is important to emphasize that the excess water and landslides do not have any impact on the quality of the grapes in the 2025 harvest, since the climate tragedy occurred during the vines’ dormant period, that is, when they had no fruit,” recalls the Agricultural Manager.

Aurora's harvest in recent years*    

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  

2024 – 50,3 million  

* (kilos of grapes)