Imagine pouring your heart into a vineyard, only to see young vines, meant to thrive for decades, die after just three harvests. This is the grim reality for Hungarian winemaker Viktor Keszler, who recently had to rip out half a hectare of his precious vines. The culprit? A devastating disease called flavescence dorée.
Known as one of the most dangerous diseases threatening vineyards globally, flavescence dorée is spread by a tiny pest: the American grapevine leafhopper. Once infected, there’s no cure. The disease causes leaves to discolour and productivity to plummet, effectively wiping out the vine. What makes it worse is how easily it spreads – from neglected vineyards to wild vines, carried by these tiny insects.
Hungary, a proud 14th-largest wine producer with famed regions like Tokaj, is now grappling with an escalating epidemic. First detected in 2013, the disease has now reached 21 out of 22 wine regions, catching many, including the government, off guard. Experts point fingers at warmer winters, neglected vines, and even the EU’s past discontinuation of certain pesticides as reasons for its rapid spread.
The impact is severe, especially for smaller producers like Keszler. Winemakers are raising the alarm, with János Frittmann from the National Council of Wine Communities warning that it “could effectively wipe out Hungarian grape production.”
While the government has allocated €10 million for detection and protection, critics argue the response has been too slow and underfunded. Plant protection specialists highlight a lack of resources and slow sample evaluation, confessing that even popular Hungarian grape varieties don’t show “textbook symptoms,” delaying diagnosis.
The fight feels “hopeless” at times for Keszler, but he believes collective action from the state and local municipalities can still turn the tide. For Hungary’s celebrated wine heritage, swift and serious action is now more crucial than ever.
Source: https://thesun.my/news/world-news/hungarian-winemakers-fear-deadly-disease-could-wipe-out-industry/
