In this episode, hosts Dewald Kirsten and Louise Brodie sit down with Conrad Schutte (CEO, Vinpro Group) and Rico Basson (Executive Director, South Africa Wine) to unpack the current state and future of the South African wine industry.From vineyard to global markets, this conversation dives deep into the realities of producing, marketing, and sustaining a competitive wine industry in a rapidly changing world.The discussion explores how the restructuring between Vinpro and South Africa Wine has created a more focused and agile industry approach—balancing production excellence with market access, regulation, and global competitiveness.

With insights ranging from farm-level profitability to international trade dynamics, this episode provides a rare, full value-chain perspective on one of South Africa’s most important agricultural sectors. The conversation also highlights the human side of the industry—skills development, job creation, and the importance of building future talent pipelines in agriculture.

Key Topics Covered:

•The restructuring of Vinpro and South Africa Wine and why it matters

•The global wine market: declining consumption, tariffs, and competition

•Why South Africa is one of the most cost-effective wine producers globally

•The economics of wine farming and profitability benchmarks

•Climate challenges: floods, fires, frost, and long-term adaptation

•The role of data, AI, and decision-making in modern agriculture

•Skills development, career pathways, and the future workforce

•Wine tourism and the opportunity for domestic and international growth

•Why collaboration is South Africa’s biggest competitive advantage

Key Takeaways:

•South Africa remains globally competitive due to efficiency and quality focus

•Profitability at farm level is improving, but margins remain tight

•The industry supports hundreds of thousands of livelihoods across the value chain

•Data and AI will be both the biggest opportunity and biggest risk going forward

•Skills development and professionalisation are critical for future growth

•Tourism and domestic consumption are major untapped opportunities

Connect with Conrad: linkedin.com/in/conrad-schutte-724b17b8

Connect with Rico: linkedin.com/in/rico-basson-17093b75

This podcast is proudly sponsored by Agrarius.

Find out more: ⁠https://www.agrarius.co.za/?ref=recR9vP8u5CYfEOek&utm_source=lucentlands&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=LucentLandsPromo

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