Coronavirus: the Occitanie region is implementing a recovery plan for viticulture

Text by: Agnieszka Kumor

In the south of France, the Occitanie region is implementing a recovery plan dedicated to viticulture. Worth 14 million euros divided equally between the region and the sector, this plan aims to help wine-growing companies cope with the crisis.

Publicity

Known in particular for its rosé wines throughout the world, the Occitan vineyard is today undergoing a violent shock. The situation is not yet fully known, but producers already know that their losses will be significant due to the economic crisis. The closure of restaurants, bars and the entire nearby market led to a sharp drop in sales.

“  Out of the 6 million hectoliters of annual production, all appellations combined, we produce 900,000 hectoliters of Pays d'Oc wines. These bottles are used to supply restaurants, cafes and even hotels. These wines have not been marketed at all. A dry loss of about 15%. It's huge ! "Declares Jacques Gravegeal, president of the Inter Oc inter-profession .

New consumption patterns

Certainly there have been losses. It will be impossible to recover two months of lost turnover. But there were also positive points to note, said the president of Inter Oc. Like this increase in sales of wines in supermarkets. The wines sold in bibs (in 3-liter cardboard boxes) were popular with confined consumers.

“  We discovered a new mode of consumption  : an aperitif at a distance. You were in Lille, someone else was here in Montpellier and someone else was in Dakar. Technical means available to us today have enabled those who were not used to consolidating their friendship by having an aperitif each at home and chatting together for half an hour or an hour. Wine was a binder in this situation. I think this mode of remote exchange could persist,  ”he concludes.

Reclaiming the markets

Take into account these new consumption patterns, maintain direct contact with its customers, invest in new distribution channels, in particular through online sales, producers will have to redouble their efforts to regain the lost market shares, estimates Gérard Bertrand, winemaker and merchant, owner of Château l'Hospitalet . To help them in this difficult task which requires a lot of investment, a recovery plan has been implemented. Worth 14 million euros divided equally between the region and the sector (7 million euros each), this plan aims to help wine-growing businesses cope with the crisis.

“  Each time a winemaker or a marketer invests one euro, the region will release an additional euro. It will give strength and power to promotional and communication actions around the world. All this within the framework of a virtuous specification. That is to say, with contractual commitments with the winemakers on the one hand and, on the other hand, with the desire to highlight the products and brands that enhance our region,  "said the former rugby player.

Issue for jobs

It is an ambitious plan which today brings together the driving forces of the region. Because to these 14 million euros, are added other sums raised by the various actors of the profession, the trade unions, the cooperatives as well as the traders. In total, close to 50 million euros have been set up to help businesses. A crucial issue for 100,000 jobs created by Occitan viticulture. The wine sector represents 1.3 billion euros in turnover, or 20% of the agricultural product of the region (in 2017). This recovery plan should be operational as of July 18.

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• Coronavirus
• Agriculture and Fisheries
• Economy
• Economic crisis