At
the advent of the huge Paris Agricultural Exhibition the wine industry
lobby is pushing for huge compensation - read more subsidies. Compensation
for what you may ask? Well for the impact of the Governments anti-drink
driving campaign would be the bizarre answer. Following on from
the "relief" package of state aid for Tobacconists hit
by the anti smoking hike in cigarrette tax the wine industry is
now claiming that they are the victims and need even more state
subsidies. Deads on French roads fell by 21% in 2003, mainly as
a result of reduced speeds policed by speed cameras, and a much
higher chance of being breathized- and been unable to get off the
charge by lobbying your local politician. Not a chance of success
you may think. However you would be wrong, perfectly timed before
the Canatonal elections for the Departments, the Regional elections
and the European Election every politician will be flocking to the
Agricultural Exhibition. Each one trying to show that she/he has
a true sympathy with the farmers who hold a special place in the
French pyche.
In the Languedoc the visible support of the viti-viniculture industry
is crucial to winning control of the Departmental and Regional Government,
the voting constituencies are heavily bias towards the rural cantons.
In the Aude it takes about 1,500 votes to elect a Departmental representative
in the High Corbieres, 4,500 in Narbonne. Renaud, President of the
Aude, representative for the Canton of Lagrasse, and Blanc, President
of the Region of Languedoc-Rousillon, are both strong lobbyists
for the wine industry. Blanc, an old Secretary of Agriculture, has
as part of his election manifesto the proud claim that Languedoc-Roussillon
recieves 7% of the total European CAP funding.
In a country where wine is served in motorway cafes, included in
many lunchtime menus, and who's government has been lobbying hard
to have wine reclassified by Brussels as a food and not an alcoholic
drink, the reality is that wine drinking is on the decline. According
to OniVin the average adult consumption has dropped from 100 litres
a year in 1960 to 58 at present. Wine drinking in restaurants has
dropped 15-20% in 2003. The Bordeaux wine producers are countering
with the slogan "Buvons moins, buvons meilleur" (Drink
less, drink better). A slogan to send shudders through the wineyards
of the Languedoc. Despite much talk of improving the quality of
our wine the response has been patchy, however of the politician
and wine makers ever neede a wake up call this is it.
The
State of the French Wine Industry Today
Employing around 300, 000 people, the wine business is now 15%
of the national agricultural production. Appellation d'origine controlee
makes up 56% ofproduction, Champagne 16%, vin de table 9%, and wines
marketed by grape type 11%.
France
is still the world's largest exporter, exporting 15.4 million hectolitres,
against Italy's 15.2 and Spain's 9.6. However exports fell 4% last
year, three factors are seen to account for this, the strong euro,
franco-phobia in the US and heavy competition from New World wines.
The
French remain the heaviest drinkers of wine, with consumption at
58 litres per year per adult, against Italian's 55, Spanish 36,
German's 21 and the UK's 16. However consumption is dropping fast,
wine now makes up only 60% of the alcohol consumed in French households
as opposed to 75% 30 years ago.
In
2003 french wine consumption dropped 2% overall. Red wine took a
particularly hard hit dropping 4.5%, Rose actually increased by
7.6% albeit from a low base. The exceptional heat of last summer
is seena s the cause of this shift as holiday makers went of cooler
lighter wine in the sweltering heat.
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