Sign up to create alerts for Instruments,
Economic Events and content by followed authors
Free Sign Up Already have an account? Sign In
Quotes
All Instrument Types
- All Instrument Types
- Indices
- Equities
- ETFs
- Funds
- Commodities
- Currencies
- Crypto
- Bonds
- Certificates
Please try another search
💎 Access the Market Tools Trusted by Thousands of Investors Get Started
French 2017 wine output may fall to record low after frosts
Published Jul 21, 2017 08:23AM ET
Updated Jul 21, 2017 08:30AM ET
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Water-covered vineyards are seen early in morning as water is sprayed to protect them frost damage outside Chablis
PARIS (Reuters) - French wine production may fall 17 percent this year to a record low after spring frosts damaged vineyards, notably in the Bordeaux region, which might lose half its output, the farm ministry said on Friday.
In its first estimates of this year's output, the ministry estimated this year's wine production in France, the world's second-largest producer, at 37 million to 38.2 million hectolitres, down from 45.5 million in 2016.
The median value, at 37.6 million hectolitres, would be 17 percent less than last year's output and 16 percent below average. That would be "historically low" and less than the output in 1991, when vines were also badly hit by frosts. The ministry did not say how far back its records go.
"This fall in production is primarily due to the severe frosts in the spring, which affected, at a sensitive stage of the vine's growth, all the wine-growing basins to varying degrees," the ministry said in a note.
Wine growers used candles, heaters and even the down-draught from helicopters during the cold snap in April to try to save crops.
France's wine output had already fallen in 2016 because of bad weather. Champagne was among the worst hit, with the harvest down more than 20 percent from the previous year as spring frosts were followed by other problems, such as mildew.
This year's production in Champagne was expected to recover slightly, up 8 percent, but still 9 percent below the 2012-2016 average.
Late April, frosts severely damaged the Bordeaux vineyard, which could lose half its output from the large volume produced in 2016 and fall 40 percent below the five-year average, the ministry said.
The Bourgogne and Beaujolais region, which suffered major damage in 2016, were better off this year, with output expected to rise 14 percent.
The estimates were provisional and did not take into account the weather until harvest, which usually takes place from August to October in France.
Related Articles
Add Chart to Comment
Confirm Block
Are you sure you want to block %USER_NAME%?
By doing so, you and %USER_NAME% will not be able to see any of each other's Investing.com's posts.
%USER_NAME% was successfully added to your Block List
Since you’ve just unblocked this person, you must wait 48 hours before renewing the block.
Report this comment
I feel that this comment is:
Comment flagged
Thank You!
Your report has been sent to our moderators for review
Add a Comment
We encourage you to use comments to engage with other users, share your perspective and ask questions of authors and each other. However, in order to maintain the high level of discourse we’ve all come to value and expect, please keep the following criteria in mind:
Enrich the conversation, don’t trash it.
Stay focused and on track. Only post material that’s relevant to the topic being discussed.
Be respectful. Even negative opinions can be framed positively and diplomatically. Avoid profanity, slander or personal attacks directed at an author or another user. Racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination will not be tolerated.
Perpetrators of spam or abuse will be deleted from the site and prohibited from future registration at Investing.com’s discretion.