French winemakers are on the brink of collapse, with some 17,000 members at risk of shutting down their businesses due to a perfect storm of bad weather, rising costs, and falling sales. The sector, one of France's three main economic pillars, is crying out for urgent government intervention.
The crisis meeting with Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard on Monday comes as vineyard owners describe the situation as "dramatic" and warn that up to a fifth of France's winegrowers could be forced to abandon their businesses if no support is provided. The industry's president, Jean-Marie Fabre, says it would be like the German government abandoning its car industry.
The past five years have been particularly brutal for French winemakers, with heatwaves and hail destroying crops, tariffs imposed by Donald Trump increasing costs, and the Covid pandemic further crippling sales. The war in Ukraine has also driven up costs by a third.
Bordeaux's exports to China have fallen to their lowest level in a decade, while Beijing has imposed a 32.2% customs tax on many imports of wine-based spirits from the EU. This has had a devastating impact on France's wine and spirits industry, which is estimated to turn over €92bn annually.
The situation is so dire that some winegrowers are considering shutting their businesses entirely, leading to the loss of up to 100,000 jobs. The National Association for Agriculture Employment and Training describes the sector as a "pillar of the economy and a source of jobs".
Fabre's own business, Domaine de la Rochelierre, produces just 80,000 bottles a year, but he represents many small-scale producers who are on the verge of collapse. He warns that this is their last chance to get support, saying: "People are in a fighting mood but getting to the end of their tether. They either get support or they will have to shut."
The government's failure to provide any meaningful assistance has left winemakers feeling abandoned and angry. Fabre says he met Genevard earlier this month to outline the industry's demands, which include compensation for ripping up vines and using unsold wine to distill biofuel.
With the International Exhibition of Equipment and Expertise for Wine Production taking place in Montpellier from Tuesday to Thursday, Fabre hopes that Monday's meeting will finally bring some much-needed relief to France's beleaguered winemakers.
The crisis meeting with Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard on Monday comes as vineyard owners describe the situation as "dramatic" and warn that up to a fifth of France's winegrowers could be forced to abandon their businesses if no support is provided. The industry's president, Jean-Marie Fabre, says it would be like the German government abandoning its car industry.
The past five years have been particularly brutal for French winemakers, with heatwaves and hail destroying crops, tariffs imposed by Donald Trump increasing costs, and the Covid pandemic further crippling sales. The war in Ukraine has also driven up costs by a third.
Bordeaux's exports to China have fallen to their lowest level in a decade, while Beijing has imposed a 32.2% customs tax on many imports of wine-based spirits from the EU. This has had a devastating impact on France's wine and spirits industry, which is estimated to turn over €92bn annually.
The situation is so dire that some winegrowers are considering shutting their businesses entirely, leading to the loss of up to 100,000 jobs. The National Association for Agriculture Employment and Training describes the sector as a "pillar of the economy and a source of jobs".
Fabre's own business, Domaine de la Rochelierre, produces just 80,000 bottles a year, but he represents many small-scale producers who are on the verge of collapse. He warns that this is their last chance to get support, saying: "People are in a fighting mood but getting to the end of their tether. They either get support or they will have to shut."
The government's failure to provide any meaningful assistance has left winemakers feeling abandoned and angry. Fabre says he met Genevard earlier this month to outline the industry's demands, which include compensation for ripping up vines and using unsold wine to distill biofuel.
With the International Exhibition of Equipment and Expertise for Wine Production taking place in Montpellier from Tuesday to Thursday, Fabre hopes that Monday's meeting will finally bring some much-needed relief to France's beleaguered winemakers.
. I mean, come on, 17,000 winegrowers at risk of shutting down? That's like a huge chunk of the French economy just evaporating into thin air 
. And to make matters worse, the government is only now stepping in, like they've been paying attention all along? Please 
. And what's with the 32.2% customs tax on EU wine imports? That's just ridiculous 
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. And Fabre is right too, people are getting desperate and they need help ASAP 
. I hope Monday's meeting brings some actual solutions to the table... we'll see 
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The French wine industry is literally dying 
it's like they're stuck between a rock and a hard place - the weather's been crazy lately & costs have gone through the roof 
but what's really getting them down is the lack of support from the government 
They need help NOW or they'll lose everything 
i mean we all love wine but this is getting real fast what's happening is that bad weather, rising costs & falling sales are killing them & the government ain't doing enough to help 
they need urgent intervention or else we'll be saying goodbye to some of the best wines in the world 
for french winemakers, it's like they're drowning in a sea of bad luck 
heatwaves, hail, tariffs, covid... what can they do? 
and now china's imposing a 32.2% customs tax on wine-based spirits 
that's gonna hurt big time 
or we'll see up to 100k jobs lost 
which is devastating 
! The views were insane and I saw some wild birds too! Anyway, back to wine... I mean, I love a good Bordeaux as much as the next person but have you ever tried that new Merlot blend from Italy? It's literally sooo good! 
this is a classic case of people struggling to stay afloat during tough times... it makes me think about how our individual struggles can affect the lives of those around us... if one vineyard owner goes under, it's like ripples spreading across the pond... but what's worrying is that it's not just the French winemakers who are affected, but also the economy as a whole 
i remember when i was a kid, my grandma used to take care of her own backyard garden and would often talk about how hard she worked to grow fresh produce for our family... even with all the ups and downs, she never gave up 
it's not always easy to see someone else's problems as their own problem, but we gotta try to be there for each other 
. It's like they expect the industry to magically recover on its own... newsflash: it's not going to happen 
We need to come together as a society to help these folks out, 'cause if we don't, it'll be a real shame 
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. Fingers crossed that Monday's meeting with the Agriculture Minister will bring some much-needed relief 
they've been thru 5 yrs of heatwaves, hail, tariffs, covid & now the war in Ukraine is driving up costs even more 
gotta hope that monday's meeting with Annie Genevard brings some relief