The export of French wines and spirits exploded in 2021, but costs remain high
The global economic recovery and the suspension of US customs duties decided under US President Trump have favored the export of French wine in 2021. © RFI/Agnieszka Kumor
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
Mistreated by the pandemic and American taxes, French wines were a hit abroad in 2021.
It is thanks to them that the trade balance of France, strongly in deficit, limits the breakage.
Sales of wines and spirits jumped by more than 28%, smashing the previous record, that of before the health crisis.
This is revealed by the figures published on the occasion of the Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris trade fair which is currently being held in Paris.
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French wines and spirits now weigh 15.5 billion euros.
A historic record driven by the suspension of American taxes, the reopening of the Asian market and a global economic recovery, welcomes César Giron, president of the Federation of Wine and Spirits Exporters of France: “
In the United States, growth is there. , in China, the growth is there, in the United Kingdom, in Europe.
In fact, the growth is in every country in the world.
»
These buoyant markets, Aymeric Izard courts them.
He is director of Vignobles d'Exéa, in the south of France: "
We, with our environmental approach, are more on the export markets which will be located in Northern Europe or North America, so Canada , the United States, Asian countries, Singapore, Hong Kong.
We will indeed rely on this wave as much as possible.
»
Cost explosions
However, between inflation and geopolitical tensions, the clouds are gathering for the sector, estimates Antoine Leccia, president of Advini: “
Indeed, the increases in raw materials have never been so strong.
Increases on bottles of more than 10%, on boxes up to 30%.
Also with supply issues.
The cost of freight has been multiplied by 5, even 6. When we manage to find containers
!
»
French exports driven in particular by the United States.
It is in particular the suspension of taxes that has enabled French products to increase by 34% in value on this market.
A very important market for its dynamism, but fragile and which must be watched like milk on the fire, considers Jérémy Fouquet, manager of Wine Artisans, a commercial agency based in the south of France, exporting to the American market.
“
It's true that exports are on the rise again, but we have problems linked to the inflationary spiral of dry matter.
The cost of transport has taken a considerable increase of 100%, so that also slows down exports.
We paid $6,000 to send a container of 1,100 cases to California, today we pay $12,000 and the container still hasn't arrived after eight weeks.
So it's very complicated.
Fortunately, the exchange rate is favorable and the recovery and consumption of wine in the United States reassures us
”, sums up the expert.
Half-hearted prospects, therefore, clouded by a very low harvest.
The sector remains more mobilized than ever.
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