Fears for Marlborough grape growers

There are fears Marlborough grape growers will not be able to cover their costs as the 2010 harvest is set to get underway.

To make matters worse, vineyard property prices have plummeted and sales are slow, so many who want out of the industry are left with few options.

Marlborough has an ongoing grape glut despite moves by the industry to restrict growth.

"It takes about three years for a vineyard to come to maturity so in the last couple of years we have seen those extra vineyard lands come into production," says Marcus Pickens of Wine Marlborough.

The problem for growers is that approximately three years ago they were getting $2,400 a tonne for sauvignon blanc grapes. Now they get just $1,200.

Grower Ian Leonard is so fed up he says he is getting out of the industry altogether.

"I'm just not prepared to put the hours in here and work as hard as I've done for so little return. I'm better off taking my money and trying to invest it in another area," he says.

But selling at the moment could prove difficult.

"I could have probably sold this place for 20-30% more than what I'm going to sell it for now," he says.