Paris (AFP)
Overseas, rum producers participate in the "war" effort, and supply alcohol for the production of hydroalcoholic gel, when they are not directly involved in the production of this rare commodity.
In Martinique, the only territory which has an AOC for its rum, 4,500 bottles of hydroalcoholic gel of 50 centiliters were made available to health authorities on Thursday. The seven distilleries of the island have agreed, via the Martinique Committee for the organization and defense of the rum market, to supply the alcohol necessary for the production of the gel.
Alcohol is currently supplied by the Saint James distillery in Sainte Marie (north). The gel is made in Fort-de-France by Prochimie. The other distilleries have undertaken to supply other quantities of alcohol, as required.
The GBH group, through its JM Rum distillery and its Etablissements Clément, also announced that it has adapted its "rum production process to be able to produce a hydroalcoholic solution", which it plans to deliver "free of charge to personnel health, army, gendarmerie and firefighters. "
In the Guadeloupe distilleries, everyone tested house production: "With us we took rum from the column and added lemongrass essential oil", says François Monroux, director general of Bologna rums. "In addition it keeps mosquitoes away".
The distilleries and sugar factories of the archipelago (Guadeloupe and Marie-Galante) have teamed up to supply 10,000 liters of cane alcohol at 96 ° to the State, which will be responsible for having a hydroalcoholic gel made by a company.
In Guyana, "Rhums Saint-Maurice" gives "4,000 liters of 90 ° alcohol at the Cayenne hospital center," explained Ernest Prévot, its president.
In Reunion, the Isautier group "conducted a first conclusive test of the manufacture of hydroalcoholic solution" and "as of next week 30,000 additional liters will be produced in the" Saint-Pierre factory ".
"The whole profession is united," adds the group, which specifies that the Rivière du Mât distillery "supplies alcohol to pharmacists who would like to make their own solution, and" Mascarin will also contribute to the production of hydroalcoholic solution " .
© 2020 AFP