The proper use of nets : to contribute to the integrated management of agricultural plastics

AUTHOR : Adrien ÉTIENNE, Agricultural Sales Manager, Texinov Tech

Following in the footsteps of the arboriculture industry, it’s now the turn of the French winegrowing sector to take an interest in netting, as an effective way of adapting to the vagaries of the weather and preserving the quantity and quality of its production.

In recent years, viticulture has faced increasingly frequent and severe climate challenges. Among the phenomena winegrowers must contend with are late spring frosts, summer hailstorms, excessive sun exposure, drought, and, conversely, excessive humidity. All of these events have been observed across French vineyards in recent vintages.

For instance, in June 2022, a large portion of France’s vineyards experienced varying degrees of hail damage. The Bordeaux and Cognac regions were among the hardest hit, with nearly 25,000 hectares affected.

Hail Protection Nets

The most effective method to combat hail remains protecting foliage and crops with nets. This approach was first used on vines in Austria and Hungary in 1896. In France, hail nets gained traction in fruit growing during the 1990s and 2000s as insurance premiums rose. Initially, their use was permitted only for table grapes.

However, in 2018, the National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO) approved the use of hail protection nets for wine grapes. This decision followed experimental studies conducted by the French Institute of Vine and Wine (IFV) and Sicarex¹ at the request of the Burgundy Appellation Confederation (CAVB).

The research demonstrated that these removable nets do not compromise grape quality or alter the microclimate around the vines, making them a reliable and practical solution for protecting vineyards against hail.