The Riverland wine industry's immediate request for financial assistance from the federal government has been rejected, despite more than 200 hectares of vineyards forecast to be lost to floodwaters in a week's time.
Federal Agricultural Minister Murray Watt visited the Riverland on Monday following an invitation from the region's industry body, which was requesting government funding to address challenging market conditions.
While Mr Watt said it was valuable to hear about the problems firsthand, support would not be made available until the new year, when the flood's peak had passed.
"I was certainly aware before coming here, that local wine growers had been doing it tough for a couple of years [with] losing the China market and some of the other issues, but just hearing it from people face to face has been very useful," he said.
"In terms of the wine growers and broader assistance, that's something we're working on and I'd hope to be able to have something to say in the new year."
Industry faces crisis
Riverland Wine executive officer Lyndall Rowe said rising river levels would compound the pre-existing tough market conditions and growers needed urgent support.
Data from Vinehealth Australia provided to Riverland Wine shows more than 200ha of vineyards would be inundated at flows of 200 gigalitres a day over the border, with about 900ha affected at 250GL a day.
"Some would have just a small percentage of their vineyard flooded, while others would have their entire vineyard flooded," Ms Rowe said.
The state government estimates the floodwater peak is due to reach Renmark around the end of December, at a level between 190 and 220GL a day.
Renmark winemaker and grape grower Meiqing Lin said the market challenges had taken a toll on his family.
But he said the stresses intensified when a levee near his property broke and flooded his vineyard.
"Within 12 hours my 80ha vineyard was flooded up to 1.5-metres high," he said.
Mr Lin, who purchased the vineyards in 2015, said his business had suffered a significant drop in sales due to China's tariffs.
"[But] I still had strong demand for my white wine grapes and white wine," he said.
"This was going to help me finance and establish new export markets in South-East Asia.
"Now I won't have any grapes or wine to sell from my 2023 vintage."
Mr Lin said he requested assistance from Renmark Paringa Council to pump the water out and rebuild the levee.
But Mayor Peter Hunter said privately built levees were not the council's responsibility.
"Our hearts absolutely go out to those people who have lots that are going to have water coming into them, but council cannot cover all of those up and down the river," Cr Hunter said.
Industry's desperate call for help
Ahead of the minister's visit, Ms Rowe said Riverland Wine was seeking $5 million over three years from the federal and state governments as a "co-investment" to ensure the industry survived into the future.
"An estimated 40 per cent of shiraz and cabernet wine grapes produced in the region have no domestic or export market contracts and prices are commercially unsustainable," she said.
Ms Rowe said priorities that needed immediate action included finding more markets, diversifying varieties, managing inventory, regular updates on freight, potential water buybacks, and assistance to properly remove grapevine material and rest vineyards.
