Abstract
The motivation for this study centres on the labour-and cost-intensive nature of wine grape production and the potential opportunities for robotic technology. The objectives of this study are to develop cost of production budgets for five representative wine grape vineyards in four US states, assess the economic viability of wine grape production under current operating conditions, evaluate labour costs by production task, and identify common production challenges and tasks that could be augmented with robotic technology development. Investigators have worked with grower panels to develop a production budget for representative vineyards in four states, and to gather input on production tasks that the growers and technology developers feel would be most suitable for robotic technology. A stochastic simulation model was developed to assess baseline pro-forma financial statements for each vineyard size. Combined, the results help in exploring opportunities to strengthen vineyard profitability and competitiveness using robotics.
Highlights
In 2015, the USA produced an estimated 4.2 million tons of wine grapes
Representative wine grape grower panels in four states provided important input regarding wine grape production costs in their respective regions and production tasks that have potential to be automated with robotic technology
Under current production tasks and technology, Monte Carlo simulation model results indicate that two of the vineyards are in good financial condition, one is in marginal-to-poor financial condition, one is in marginal condition but is at risk of being in poor condition, and one is in poor condition
Summary
In 2015, the USA produced an estimated 4.2 million tons of wine grapes. California led the USA in wine grape production with 3.7 million tons produced on 560,000 acres. Labour hour requirements for wine grape production in the USA can range from 80 to 250 hours per acre, depending on the production system, harvest method used, and geographic location. A reduction in the availability of skilled labour generally leads to production quantity and quality issues, higher production costs, and decreased competitiveness in global markets. With a push for stricter border reform in the USA, there is cause for vineyards to be concerned about skilled labour availability and rising production and harvesting costs
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