The Western Cape’s top young pruning students will be announced this week.

Pruning of vines is critical in the wine industry; resulting in a high crop quality.

Alan Winde, Minister of Economic Opportunities, is attending the Felco Intervarsity Pruning Competition which takes place on Friday, 26 August 2016.
Third-year viticulture and oneology students from the following academic institutions will participate in the competition:

Elsenburg Agricultural Institute
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Stellenbosch University

Viticulture refers to the study of grapes, while oneology is concerned with the study of wine. 

Minister Winde explained that Elsenburg had given students three rows of vines to prune as part of their viticulture practical. The students are marked on whether the correct shoot is pruned and whether the correct amount of eyes were left according to the thickness of the shoots. The general neatness of the shoot is also a factor. “Following this process, we’ve selected three students to represent us at the Intervarsity competition.”

Minister Winde said pruning played an important role in the Western Cape’s wine industry. “Our goal through Project Khulisa is to increase wine exports to strategic markets. Pruning of the vines is a factor in ensuring our product remains world-class and in demand.”

According to the latest Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy baseline, the South African wine industry includes 100 000 hectares of vineyards, and is comprised of 3300 producers. It supports employment for close on 300 000 residents, directly and indirectly.


DETAILS:

Date: 26 August 2016

Judging

Venue: Welgevallen vineyeards, Stellenbosch University
Time: 9:00 – 11:30am

Prize-giving

Venue: JH Neetling building
Time:12pm – 15:00


For media queries, kindly contact:

Bronwynne Jooste
Tel: 021 483 3550
Cell: 060 970 4301
Email: bronwynne.jooste@westerncape.gov.za
Website: www.westerncape.gov.za
Twitter: bronwynnejooste