Vine Pruning Residues and Wine Fermentation By-Products: A Non-Exploited Source of Sustainable Agriculture, Albania Case

Albania, situated in southeastern Europe, enjoys a Mediterranean climate that is well-suited for grape cultivation. The vineyard area totals 7.202 million hectares. Since the 1990s, the country has experienced a resurgence in its rich winemaking traditions, which have gained considerable attention over the last decade. Alongside its significant wine production, large amounts of vine pruning waste and fermentation by-products are generated, estimated at over 50,000 t of prunings and 35,900 t of grape pomace annually. This waste is often burned, and the ash is used as fertilizer, releasing considerable CO2 emissions, and contributing to greenhouse gas levels. However, recycling these prunings into fertilizer by chipping and grinding them in the vineyard presents a sustainable choice, providing key minerals, nitrogen, phosphorus, and various micronutrients, thereby reducing the dependence on synthetic fertilizers in farming. Characterized by small plantations, the vine pruning issue needs site-specific, economically feasible solutions for the farmer. Additionally, there is unexplored potential for applying wine fermentation pressing residues as fertilizer for agricultural land or vineyards. The Albanian wine sector has significant untapped opportunities, such as employing vine pruning ash as a mineral fertilizer to help achieve sustainability goals.