Winegrowers rattled by steep drop in production after challenging season: 'The decline is relative'

Belgian wine production dropped by a staggering 64% in 2024 as extreme weather wreaked havoc on vineyards across the country.

What's happening?

As Belga News Agency reported, wine output in Belgium fell to just 1.2 million liters in 2024 — the lowest since 2017. One in five winegrowers lost almost their entire harvest due to night frosts in late April and an unusually wet spring.

"Nevertheless, the decline is relative," noted Lien Meurisse, spokesperson for the Federal Public Service Economy. "We were spoiled with exceptional yields in 2023 and 2022. If we compare with previous years, the yield in 2024 remains low, but the drop looks less sharp. It's also important to stress that the grapes were of excellent quality."

The decline affected all wine types, with rosé sparkling wines suffering the most (78% drop) followed by red wines (76% drop). Flemish winegrowers produced 672,171 liters, outpacing their Walloon counterparts, who produced 553,576 liters — a reversal from 2023 when Wallonia led production.

Why is wine production decline concerning?

These dramatic crop failures reveal how climate volatility directly threatens the food and beverage production systems. The increasing frequency of irregular weather patterns, like the spring frosts and excessive rain that devastated Belgian vineyards, shows our changing climate's immediate impact on agriculture.

For Belgian winemakers, these losses represent financial hardship after investing in vineyard expansion. The industry had been growing steadily, with vineyard acreage increasing from 801 hectares in 2022 to 958 hectares in 2024, and the number of winegrowers rising from 259 to 321 during the same period.

This situation mirrors the challenges wine regions face worldwide. As weather becomes less predictable, the security of these agricultural traditions and the livelihoods they support becomes increasingly uncertain.

What's being done about wine production challenges?

Despite these setbacks, Belgian winemakers are adapting by focusing on their strengths.

Many producers concentrated on white wine production — a Belgian specialty — to maximize returns from limited harvests.

Regional cooperation is another path forward. The "Wine Street" initiative is uniting four wine regions across Flanders and the Netherlands to develop sustainable wine tourism.

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New technologies in vineyard management, including weather monitoring systems and frost protection methods, are giving growers more tools to protect future harvests from extreme climate events.

Supporting local producers can help them face these challenges. Visiting wineries, joining wine clubs featuring domestic varieties, or choosing local options when shopping can all make a difference.

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