Date£º
2017-09-26 09:16 Source£º
http://www.oiv.int Author:
OIV Translator:
The Director General of the OIV, Jean-Marie Aurand, travelled to South Africa for the 40th conference of the South African Society for Enology & Viticulture held in Cap from the 29th to the 31st of August, 2017.
Under OIV patronage this event brought together over 350 members of the industry, researchers, and administrators.
Thirty of the researchers and experts, of which a quarter came from abroad, presented their work in different vitivinicultural domains. The themes included viticulture, enology, and economy with specific focus on new developments related to climate change as well as environmental subjects.
Jean-Marie Aurand opened the conference with a presentation of the OIV and its missions followed by a panorama of the worldwide vitivinicultural industry. The Director General also highlighted some of the major challenges the industry may face in the future in regards to competitiveness, the environment, and consumer expectations.
In the presence of South African additional delegate to the OIV, Mrs. Wendy Jonker, as well as many other experts including, Jan Booysen, Yvette Van der Merwe and Pierre Van Rensburg, the Director General congratulated the South African delegation on their excellent participation and contributions to the Organisation.
A member of the OIV since 1963, South Africa is home to 130 000 hectares of vineyards and is the seventh largest producer worldwide with a production of 10 million hectoliters of wine.
South Africa is also an important producer and exporter of table grapes with an annual production of 280 000 tons, of which 90% are exported.
(http://www.oiv.int/en/oiv-life/the-director-general-of-the-oiv-in-south-africa)