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“Agricultural Disaster” – Frost Blast Decimates French Vineyards, May Slash Total Wine Output By Third 

April 23, 2021

“Agricultural Disaster” – Frost Blast Decimates French Vineyards, May Slash Total Wine Output By Third 

Earlier this month, French farmers fought mother nature in their attempt to prevent frost from wiping out their crops. It appears their attempts have failed as the damage is extensive and could wipe out nearly a third of French wine output for the year.

In early April, French farmers scrambled to light-controlled fires across their vineyards to stave off frost. Euronews document these efforts in a series of stunning photographs.

A farmer burns a bale of straw in his vineyard to protect grapevines from frost. This picture was taken on April 7 at the heart of the Vouvray vineyard in Touraine, France.

Winegrowers from the Domaine Daniel Etienne Defaix vineyard in Chablis lit fires across their fields.

Smoke rises across multiple vineyards in Touraine, France.

As reported by The Guardian, the French government declared the frost an “agricultural disaster” and planned to provide financial support to farmers.

Several thousand hectares of farming land, including Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, and the Rhône Valley, were heavily impacted by the frost.

Jérôme Despey, the secretary-general of the FNSEA farming union, said this year’s frost could be one of the worst in decades. He said it might be more damaging than the ones experienced in 1991, 1997, and 2003.

Agriculture minister Julien Denormandie said the frost blast was a “completely exceptional situation,” resulting in “substantial losses.”

Exact losses are unknown at this time. But fresh estimates this week by the farm office FranceAgriMer warns at least a third of the country’s 2021 wine production could be affected, reported Reuters.

Ygor Gibelind of FranceAgriMer said frost damages would be more apparent by the end of the month. He estimates wine output could decrease by 28% to 32% below average volumes of recent years.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

Worldwide Wine Output Collapses To 60-Year Low, Sparks Fears Of Major Shortage

April 26, 2018

Worldwide Wine Output Collapses To 60-Year Low, Sparks Fears Of Major Shortage

The Director-General of the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV), Jean-Marie Aurand, presented breathtaking information on the collapse of global wine production, assessment of the worldwide harvest, and the state of the overall wine industry at the organization’s headquarters in Paris on Wednesday.

During the presentation, Aurand warned that global wine production collapsed in 2017, with a contraction of 8.6 percent compared with 2016 figures. In fact, global wine output dropped to its lowest levels since 1957, primarily due to poor weather conditions in the Eurozone which slashed production across the entire bloc.

For instance, French winemakers were hit with the worst frost in 25-years, during the 2017 growing season. Vinters reported “widespread damage in Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne, with some losing their entire 2017 crop,” said Wine Spectator.

“We can already estimate that we have lost nearly half of the potential crop,” said Xavier Coumau, president of Bordeaux’s Syndicate of Wine and Spirits Courtiers.

Vineyards in Champagne have been hit hard by frost in 2017. (Source: John Hodder – Collection CIVC)

The OIV released a press release detailing the global state of conditions report: developments and trends. The report notes the “historically low production, buoyant consumption and continuing internationalization of trade.” Wine production totaled 250 million hectoliters in 2017, down 8.6 percent from 2016. All major European wine producers saw tremendous crop losses due to poor weather conditions, which contributed to the collapse of -14.6% of wine production compared with 2016.

Here is the summary of the report: 

  • With 7.6 mha in 2017, the size of the global area under vines appears to have stabilized.
  • Wine production was at 250 mhl in 2017. This was a historically low production year, with a decline of 8.6% compared with the previous year, explained in particular by unfavorable climate conditions within the EU (-14.6% compared with 2016).

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

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