Macron backs ripping up vines as French wine sales dive

"Efforts to help the crisis-hit industry include the government's latest 130-million-euro ($155-million) "arrachage" fund which opened last Friday, offering loss-making owners subsidies to uproot their vines. "It has to be done... so that the others (producers) retain their value," Macron said. France's wine sector is dealing with over-production caused by falling demand as a result of changing drinking habits, fierce competition and export difficulties. Uprooting efforts are particularly focused on areas producing unfashionable low-cost reds in southwest France, such as Bordeaux or Languedoc."

"In previous years, France has subsidised the distilling of some of its surplus wine into ethanol alcohol, which can then be used for industrial purposes. The French industry group CNAOC estimated last September that the country had a growing surplus of around 100,000 hectares (nearly 250,000 acres). It said around 50,000 hectares had already been uprooted, and another 30,000 would be covered under the new programme."

Emmanuel Macron insisted that uprooting unprofitable grape vines is necessary to revitalise France's flagging wine sector and to defend its value. The government opened a 130-million-euro "arrachage" fund offering subsidies to loss-making owners to uproot vines. The sector faces overproduction from falling demand, changing drinking habits, fierce competition and export difficulties. Uprooting targets unfashionable low-cost reds in southwest regions like Bordeaux and Languedoc. France has previously subsidised distilling surplus wine into ethanol. CNAOC estimated a growing surplus of about 100,000 hectares, with roughly 50,000 hectares already uprooted and another 30,000 covered by the new programme. Macron attended Wine Paris and received gifts.

Read at The Local France