The heat wave of summer 2019 did great damage in the Vaucluse. - M. Allili / SIPA

  • The coronavirus crisis has “severely penalized” the activity of winemakers in the Rhône Valley. Orders fell sharply.
  • Professionals do not intend to distill their wine this year to make bioethanol or hydroalcoholic gel.
  • On the other hand, they hope for a reduction in the VAT on wines sold in restaurants or help to obtain a reduction in export duties to the United States.

“Overall, the economic balances do not seem worrying. "For Philippe Pellaton, vice-president of the professional organization of winemakers in the Rhône valley," the frost of three months ago or the hail of three weeks ago "are much more worrying than the economic consequences from Covid-19.

These climatic calamities are "systematic" due to global warming, deplore the professionals of Inter-Rhône, which represents wine-growing and trading professionals from Costières de Nîmes to Condrieu.

A drop in VAT?

Their activity was still "strongly penalized" by the Covid-19 health crisis, according to Etienne Maffre, another vice-president of the professional organization Inter-Rhône. Orders fell sharply. But winegrowers are seeing the first signs of a "rebound effect".

These professionals, who produce 365 million bottles per year, do not intend to use the exceptional device of the European Union to absorb stocks: this year it allows the distillation of wine to make bioethanol or hydroalcoholic gel.

Wine. The controversial crisis distillationhttps: //t.co/JrERxZUf6f The destruction of two million hectoliters compensated by the public authorities is criticized by certain production areas.

- Olivier Frey (@olivier_frey) June 1, 2020

“We are not going to send the 2019 harvest, very qualitative, to the boiler! Exclaimed Philippe Pellaton. The difference between the 78 euros offered for a hectolitre of wine under the appellation and average prices "which go from simple to double" on the market "cannot satisfy us".

He demands a drop in VAT on wines sold in restaurants, or efforts to obtain a reduction in export duties to the United States.

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  • Languedoc-Roussillon
  • Lyon
  • Montpellier
  • Marseille
  • Coronavirus
  • Covid 19
  • Agriculture