State and Federal agriculture officials released preliminary 2016 grape crop reports earlier this month and the findings were quite positive. Thanks to an increased crop harvest and higher prices, the value of Napa County’s grape harvest rose by 28 percent in 2016, up from $533 million in 2015 to $683 million in 2016. The average price per ton for Napa County grapes rose 7.8 percent to $4,666 per ton, the highest in the state. The number of tons harvested in the county also rose a robust 19 percent, from 123,319 tons in 2015 to 146,557 in 2016.
All of this is good news for Napa County and its wine growers as 2015 was seen as a “light” year. This surge is leading to early activity from buyers looking to source grapes for 2017. As one of California’s most valuable agricultural assets this is all positive news for the region, wineries and wine consumers alike.
Source: Napa News, February 2017