Lowest wine production in Europe in 36 years

Crete, Greece. Wine grapes,Photo: Gunnar Lier / Scanpix .

Hail, drought and extreme weather have affected this year’s grape harvest in Europe. Production levels will be the lowest since 1981.

The European farmers’ association Copa-Cogeca reported Tuesday that extreme weather has weakened 14 percent of the year’s crop. In some places as much as one third of the crop has been lost. Wine production is thus down to 145 million hectoliters this year.

It is the lowest wine production in Europe since 1981.

“The two biggest wine countries, France and Italy, are hit hard,” said the chairman of Copa-Cogena’s Wind Thierry Coste.

In France, production has fallen by 18 per cent compared with last year. Italy, on the other hand, is experiencing a decline of 26 per cent.

– Wine quality is still very high. The combination of high quality and low quantity can lead to a price increase, “says Coste.

EU wine production accounts for 60 percent of the world’s total production.

 

Source: NRK / Norway Today

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