England’s Largest Vineyard Faces Significant Grape Harvest Reduction Due to Pigeons and Weather

The largest vineyard in England experienced a 40% reduction in its grape harvest, attributed to “thousands” of pigeons consuming the crops and adverse weather conditions. Chris White, the Chief Executive Officer of Denbies Wine Estate, located in Dorking, Surrey, stated his belief that unfavorable conditions prevented the birds from locating berries in hedgerows, compelling them to consume his grapes instead. Mr White remarked, “We work all year on the farm, so it’s heart breaking to see when you go to harvest,” adding that the exceptional quality of the grapes served as a positive aspect this year. He indicated that approximately 20% of the crops were consumed by birds, with an additional 20% being lost due to mildew and other environmental elements. Mr White commented, “It was quite a surprise because we haven’t had bird problems in 10 years, but we will be ready next year.” He mentioned that the estate experienced a “bumper” crop in the previous year, but did not have the same fortune this season. Mr White stated, “In one area of the vineyard, we grow our best variety of still wine.” He continued, “One night we went to bed preparing to harvest five tonnes of fruit and the next morning we woke up and half of it was gone.” The winemaker clarified that covering the 265-acre vineyard with netting to prevent pigeons from accessing the grapes was not feasible because of its extensive size. Instead, Denbies plans to discourage the birds by employing kites and bangers, which are mini-fireworks that detonate every 30 minutes to frighten the birds. Mr White noted that insufficient grape harvests are not exclusive to his vineyard. Marie Davies, representing Stopham Vineyard in Pulborough, West Sussex, reported that winemakers in her area also experienced a 40-50% decrease in crops. She stated, “It’s been a challenge because of the rain, and the birds were a problem this year.” Ms Davies mentioned that the vineyard is depending on reserves from the previous year’s harvest, meaning the full effect of this year’s diminished yield has not yet become clear. For updates, follow BBC Surrey on Facebook and X. Story ideas can be submitted to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or by WhatsApp at 08081 002250. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Further details on their external linking policy are available.